The Rise And Fall
by nesma-the-ninja
Summary: loss can take away too much..more than what you lost at the first place..gabriella suffers from loss and doesn't know how to deal with it..and then comes troy..
1. Chapter 1

I am an 18 years old girl, I love my family more than anything! my grandmothers are my best friends.. they keep me safe.. i love them and I would never imagine my life without them!

One day I was walking down the street, I was going to see my grandmother, my mother s mother, she was so precious and she always made me smile.. as I was heading there my phone rang, I picked up and my mum was crying I said mum what s wrong? she said gabriella ..i am at the hospital! I said what? Why mum what s wrong? she said your grandma.. I stopped breathing for a moment.. i was horrified! So I ran to the hospital, and when I got in I asked the nurses about where my grandma was, they told me that she was in surgery! I went to the waiting room and saw my mother and my aunts sitting there, crying, I watched them with tears in my eyes then my mum looked up and said gabriella..oh gabriella! and she came and hugged me and cried saying your grandma fell of the stairs.. she was badly hurt gabriella! She is in surgery now and they are doing their best.. I didn t even hug my mum back.. i was shocked.. i was horrified.. everything seemed meaningless! How is my grandma hurt when I was coming over to see her? How could she be in surgery when I was just talking to her? That didn t make any sense! That was my grandma in there.. i felt like I was the one who was in surgery.. i felt like I will never breathe again until she is okay.. that was MY grandma! I sat next to my mum.. all the time I was thinking about all the memories I shared with her.. all our smiles, our laughs, our tears, our hugs, everything.. my soul was being taken away from me! That was the only person who loved me for who I am, the only person I felt safe with, my grandma.. and I couldn t do anything to help her! We waited outside in the waiting room for about 5 hours. .i didn t feel the time because I was in a whole different world.. a better world.. a world where the people I care about are well, where they are with me.. where I don t lose my grandma! Then the doctor came out, he was facing the ground and my uncle looked at him and knew that something was wrong but he didn t imagine it would be that bad.. because the doctor faced my mother and aunts and said your mother was hurt, she was really hurt, and her age didn t help her, we did what we could, but we lost her.. i am sorry.. at that point my mum collapsed to the ground wheeping and my aunts fell next to her, hugged her and wheeped with her.. my uncle took a few steps back and sat on the chair and his eyes were filled with tears but then he put his head into his knees. I just stood there, not crying, not wheeping, nothing at all. It was like I lost feeling of my surroundings. Then I walked out of the waiting room, walked in the hallways, and as I was walking, a dead body was being moved, the nurses pushing it infront of them passed beside me. It was my grandmother s body. I looked at her and watched her until they took her into a room. There was a sign with a word on the door of that room, in my mind I read that word and my whole world collapsed. The word was morgue .


	2. Chapter 2 the longest trip

When I saw that word I felt like life was being slowly drained from my body, that word made my world collapse in one second.. the moment the door of that room closed with my grandma s body in it I fell to the ground unconscious! For a while everything went blank, and when I was starting to wake up again I found myself on a hospital bed and my mum holding my hand and saying gabriella? Oh thank GOD you are awake! I was so worried! Are you okay? but I didn t answer so she repeated gabriella? What s wrong hunnie? Talk to me! but I was just staring at the space without saying a word so my mother ran out of the room and called help! Call the doctor please! the doctor came and asked my mum to leave us alone ,he examined me and then he asked a few questions but he didn t get any answers! Then he went out and told my mum .. gabriella is suffering of a nervous breakdown, she is suffering from denial too, because it seems like she can t accept the reality , so she just rejects it ,her condition is very advanced ,so she might need to go to rehab, and ,I think she might never talk again.. the shock was too harsh on her! But we will see what will happen with medications and therapy.. I am sorry I wish there was more I could do.. my mum nodded and then she went into my room, held my hand and said gabriella..hunnie..i know your heart is broken to small pieces, I know you ve lost one of the most important people to you ,but I ve lost my mother gabriella, and I can t face it without you.. I need you gabby..please hunnie! Yell, scream,shout, break things, I can deal with all that..but this silence.. I can t take it! Gabby I hate to see you suffer, you are my baby girl ,please hunnie fight this, stay with me gabriella ! then my dad came into the room, my mum ran towards him and he hugged her while she cried! He said I am so sorry sweetheart.. I am so sorry! after my mum pulled herself together he asked her how is gabby? my mother nodded in refusal and then my dad said again what did the doctor say? my mother said she has a nervous breakdown, and the doctor said that even after therapy and rehab she might she might never talk again! and then my mum started crying again and he said our baby girl is strong, she can makes it.. she will be fine! and then he came closer to me and kissed me on the forehead and said hey baby girl.. how are you? of course I didn t answer so he said gabby.. baby come on! You can face anything, you are so strong baby! Your grandma would have wanted that right? She would have wanted you to be happy and to get through it all, right? Baby don t give up on us.. we love you so much! All those words I heard, but I heard them as if they were in a dream, I could hear my dad but I can t see him.. all I could see is the picture of my grandma, smiling at me, and the last picture I had of her, entering the morgue. I wanted to cry my eyes out, but it was like I am trapped in this nightmare, where all I could see is the cold lifeless body of my grandma and that awful word that crushed me morgue . The next day the doctor told my mum that they were starting me on the medications hoping for the best. My friends called on my cell phone checking on me but of course I didn t answer, so my mother sometimes picked up, other times she ignored them. A week later most of the students at school has known about what was happening with me, one of my best friends came to visit me one day, her name was monica, she saw my mum, hugged her and said I am so sorry for what s happening .. I hope everything gets better soon.. my mum nodded and then showed her where my room was, she entered with a bouquet of my favourite kind of flowers, lilies, she put it on my bed, sat next to me and forced a smile. Then she said hey gabby, how are you girly? I miss you! my condition hasn t improved at all.. so I was still looking at space, lost in my own world, monica could see that I wasn t even listening but still, she felt like she needed to say what she had to say. So she said gabriella, I know how much you loved your grandma.. I know she loved you too! She was your bestfriend, she was your everybody.. I know hunnie! But life goes on.. people live, people die, and her soul will always be here watching over you, protecting you, and keeping you safe. But don t you think that if she had seen you like that it would have hurt her? What would she want you to do gabby? Live? Or kill yourself? Gabby I know your heart is broken now, and you probably feel like you are all alone in this world, but you aren t.. you ve got your parents, siblings, aunts, uncle, and friends gabby! You aren t alone hunnie.. please try to fight this! And I will be waiting for you.. ok? She still got no answer, she had tears in her eyes, and then she stood up, hugged me, and said I love you gabby and then she medications weren't working, my condition wasn't improving, my parents were so worried, my mother didn't know what to deal with first, the death of her mother, or the illness of her daughter, my mum was shattered, she was really suffering!for 2 weeks i stayed in the hospital, nothing was changing, so the doctors talked to my mum and said ' i believe there is nothing more we can do to gabriella, her condition is too serious, she needs professionals to treat her, she needs therapy and she needs to be taken to rehab, her stay here isn't helping here..i am very sorry ' my mother called my dad at work and told him, he said 'okay,i am coming right over, we will get through it baby, don't worry' and then he got into his car and came over. as he was entering the hospital, he found a group of my friends entering too, monica saw him and said 'oh hey , how is gabby now?' my dad looked at the ground as if trying to get enough strength to say the truth. and then he said 'she..she isn't doing so well, we are going to move her to rehab..' monica gasped and then her boyfriend chad hugged her and said 'she's going to get better..she will' and then they all came to my room, my mum said hi to all of them, some tried to tell her a few words to support her, others didn't know what to say so they just hid in the back trying to avoid the awkward situation. monica came and kissed me on the forehead and said 'hey sweetie, how are you?' i didn't answer, so she looked at chad looking for strength to face me again, he winked at her and said 'hey babe, you got us worried about you! but i am sure that those tough time will pass, and in a few days you will be back with us at school!' from the background a few giggles were heard, so all eyes were on them, it was sharpay and her group, they were laughing at my sight! they thought i looked like a pschyco in a weird movie! so monica looked at them in anger and sharay said 'what? what did we do? should we stand and cry over her? come on! it's enough that we came at the first place!' so troy said 'sharpay nobody asked you to come! here is the door and as you entered you can exit!' sharpay was shocked! troy never talked to her like that, but troy was a good guy, so he knew better, some of here actions he could bare, but this? it was too much even for her! so she left and said 'it's my fault that i thought of wasting my time on little miss montez!' so troy shut the door behind her and then came and stood next to monica and chad. my mother came into the room again and said 'what happened? what's wrong with sharpay?' so chad said 'nothing .. she is just...sharpay! don't mind her.' then he looked at monica and said 'should we go?' monica said 'i don't know.. i don't want to leave her.' my mum said 'it's okay hunnie, i have to get her ready anyway so that we can take her to rehab..and probably nobody would see her for a while..so..' monica said 'not even me?' my mum said 'no hunnie.. i don't think it's allowed, gabby doesn't need any external effects, in rehab it's forbidden to visit the patient, atleast for a while, but i promise that whenever they allow it i will tell you' monica said ', you will keep me updated right? i mean, i need to know how she's doing' my mum nodded and said 'ofcourse hunnie.. and thank you all for your concern, gabby is really lucky to have you!' so troy said 'we are the one who are lucky,' my mum smiled and said 'thank you.. but i believe it's the first time we meet, you are..?' troy said 'i am troy..troy bolton, i am with gabriella at school' my mum said 'yeah i have heard about you troy, well thank you anyway' troy smiled and then they all left, monica kissed my mum and hugged her and said 'my mind is with her ' so my mum forced a smile and said 'thank you..sweetheart' and then she helped me wear my clothes, and packed my things, and called the nurses to put me in a wheel chair. they did and then she and my dad walked next to me until we got to the car, my dad carried me and put me in the back seat, my mum sat next to me, hugged me and said 'i miss you baby girl' and my dad started driving heading to rehab. 


	3. Chapter 3 somebody to save me

The road to rehab took about half an hour, but for my parents it was the longest trip ever! My mum sometimes looked at me with tears in her eyes, hoping for any sign that I could feel her, but she never got one, and that caused her great pain. My dad was just driving trying to forget his destination in order to keep driving but he never could, I was his baby girl, and I was lost and he can t bring me back, he had to hold on for the three of us, himself, my mum, and me.  
>We got to rehab and my dad went in first to fill some papers, and a nurse came to help me settle in, my mum was with me the whole time, but I was never with her, I was still with my grandma, with the memories, with what could have been. The nurse took us to my room, it looked like the hospital room I ve just left, my mum put my bag on the floor and helped me sit on the bed and then said I will go see how your father is doing, okay baby? I didn t answer, so she kissed me on the cheek and a tear fell on my face, she was crying. She left and went to the office where my father sat, she sat next to him, held his hand and said she is in her room now my dad didn t even look at her he just said her room? She has her own room here? my mother said I know.. I know it s hard, but it is for her own good, she is going to get better, but she has to stay here for a while for us to get her back my dad nodded and said I know.. but still I can t accept the idea of leaving her here my mother kissed him and said I will go back to her, will you come to her room when you re done? my dad nodded so she hugged him and said I love you.. and she left.<br>She knocked at the door and came in, I was still sitting exactly like I was, she changed my clothes for me and then she tried to feed me but I refused. So she called the nurse and told her, so the nurse said we ll start an IV, in order to feed her, until she stops rejecting the food, ok ? my mum nodded holding my hand. Then the nurse made me lay down, she started the IV and then saw some tears falling from my mother s eyes while she is trying to stop them so the nurse said .. are you okay? my mother looked at her and then back at me and said she looks so lost, I don t know what to do anymore so the nurse took a few steps closer to my mum and said you are doing well so far , and she is going to be okay, it just needs some time my mum nodded and said thank you.. the nurse said it s my job, by the way my name is Katie, if you need anything call on me, ok? my mum nodded and then the nurse smiled at her and left. A while later my dad came, he found my mum looking out the window and I was asleep. He walked towards my mum and hugged her from behind and said how is she? my mum said the same I guess my dad said well I am done with the paper work and we have to go my mum said but I don t want to leave her by herself! my dad said remember your words? She has to stay here for a while for us to get her back my mum looked at me and then back at my dad with tears in her eyes and said when will we see her again? my dad said when she is back to herself, when she can see us too! my mum cried and then my dad hugged her so tight and said she will get there hunnie! She will and then he took my mother s hand and they both looked at me for the last time and left. My mother needed to talk to the doctor who said the diagnosis the doctors in the hospital made was right, nervous breakdown, she will take medications, therapy, and the most important thing is that we will isolate her from all her previous surroundings, because she needs to face what caused that severe shock, which is the death of her grandmother, and she will have to do this without you, or her friends, just doctors and nurses. My mother said and how much time do you expect it to take? the doctor said oh the shock she is suffering of is too harsh, and too sudden, it will take time, but how long? That depends on her, on gabriella my mum said okay.. thank you and then she stood and my father took her hand and they were leaving when she turned around and said to the doctor she will be okay, right? the doctor smiled and said we will try , we will do our best my mother said okay okay.. and then she left. My dad drove to the house, when they arrived my mother got a phone call, it was monica, she was checking on me, and my mum told her what had happened and what the doctor said and everything so monica said she will be okay , she is strong, I am sure she can make it through.. so my mother said yeah monica, I hope so and then she hung up.  
>For a month, my mother called the doctor daily to ask about me, and she heard no news, I was still the same. But once the doctor said , we need someone to come and see gabriella, someone she loves, someone she trusts, someone whose words would matter to gabriella. So my mum said I ve talked to her and so did her father and also her bestfriend.. how about a guy she is in love with? the doctor said sure, we should give it a try. My mother said okay I will call him and tell him to come over tomorrow and then the doctor hung up. So my mum called that guy and said troy.. I need your help <div> 


	4. Chapter 4 the way back

Troy said anything so she told him what the doctor said and then he said okay , but what does that have to do with me? she took a deep breath and said troy, gabby has been in love with you for a long time! But she was afraid that you wouldn t love her back and that s why she never said anything.. troy.. when you came to the hospital that day I felt that you felt something for her too, was I wrong? troy was silent for a while and then he said no.. you weren t my mum smiled to herself and said so you ll do it for her? troy said of course ! anything for gabriella.. I will go to the hospital tomorrow morning, ok? my mother said okay! Thank you so much troy! he said I just hope it helps her my mother said me too.. .  
>The next morning, troy was in the hospital as planned, the doctor walked him to my room, and then troy took a deep breath and entered. He saw me sitting on a chair next to the window, so he came closer, sat next to me and said hey.. gabriella I didn t answer but that didn t stop him from talking. He said gabby, I miss you so much you know? I was talking to your mother the other day and she said she said that you liked me gabby? Is that true? I still didn t answer so he took my hand and continued I know that you are lost, so I will keep talking, maybe my sound would show you the way back, because gabby I am in love with you.. I love everything about you your smile, your laugh, your beautiful eyes, your kindness, and your spirit that can bring the dead back to life! he was staring at me and saying gabby, I remember when we used to talk, when you once told me that just because we are feeling weak so we should quit the fight, because a fight isn t the war, and God created us to live, so why should we surrender to death! You said so gabby.. you! And those words will forever remind me of how strong and beautiful you are.. gabby please give me any sign that you didn t give up on life! You can t let go gabby.. I love you! Please gabby fight for your life, fight for my life! Gabby fight this! at that moment tears were filling up his eyes, when he found my hand moving in his, when he found me holding his hand so tight! He smiled! He felt like I gave him back life! Like he lost his soul and I gave it back! So he kissed me! And said I love you gabby! Oh gabby I love you! and then he called for the doctor at the top of his lungs! So the doctor and nurses came running, the doctor after examining me said to troy that s a very good sign! She is fighting to find her way back troy! troy was so happy! He ran out of my room, called my mum and told her. She was crying on the phone saying really troy? I can t believe it! My baby girl! Thank you so much troy! You brought me back my girl! and then she called on my dad and told him, he lifted her up and he was so happy! And then they both got into the car and came to rehab, this time the trip was much shorter! Because they had something to look forward to, they felt like I was fighting for them as much as they were fighting for me! They came to rehab, and ran to my room, they found me sitting on bed and troy holding my hand. My mum walked into the room slowly with her hand on her mouth saying oh gabby.. I can t believe it is finally you! and then she ran to me, hugged me so tight and kept kissing me! But then I wasn t answering her, I could feel her, and I was looking at her, but I wasn t talking. So she put her hand on my face and said what s wrong baby? Why aren t you answering me? I still wasn t answering, so she looked at troy who looked at the ground. So she said troy? Troy what s wrong? he said , gabby is now better, she can see you, and she can interact, in her own way, yes, but she interacts! So she is better than before.. but so my mum interrupted him saying but.. but what! he said but she still isn t speaking, and the doctor said that even though this is a big step for her but she may never speak again, her grief can t be expressed in words, so she found out that words are worthless, so.. she stopped talking my mother was staring at me with her eyes full of tears and saying why baby girl? Why don t you want to talk to me? Please baby.. words aren t worthless.. words like I love you aren t! so you don t want to say I love you too? I was looking at her, so helpless, I wanted to force the words out of my mouth, but I couldn t! so I just hugged her while she cried. Then my dad came closer and kissed me on the forehead and said I missed you baby! I smiled at him and he said God I missed that smile! So much gabby! and then he hugged me.. troy was going to leave when my mother said where are you going? so he said I thought maybe I should leave you guys alone, you should talk, I am sure she missed you too! so my mother smiled and said well, we can all talk troy, you are family now, you are the one who showed her the way back, so we will be forever grateful! he smiled and I looked at him, and stood up, and walked towards him and then I threw myself into his arms and hugged him so tight! Then I gave him a kiss and took his hand and made him sit next to me. My mother smiled and then she sat next to my father and put her head in his shoulder. Then she said so what now? Will she come with us? Or will she stay? I looked at her as If begging her to take me with her then I looked at troy because I knew he understood my every look so he said to my mum I think she wants to be with her family and friends now my mother smiled and kissed me on the cheek and said we need you sweetheart! We ve all missed you so much! I just smiled. Then I found someone running into my room, it was monica , she ran to me and hugged me so tight saying God I missed you! I was so worried gabby! You are my sister gabby! I am so glad you are okay! I smiled at her and then hugged her again, but before she could ask why I weren t answering troy took her in the corner and explained while my mum and dad stared at me in happiness! So monica came and sat next to me and told me what had been going at school, and among her words she said oh and sharpay, she doesn t want to show her face at school again after what troy had done with her! I looked at her not understanding what she means so she said yeah right.. you don t know! Well sharpay came with us when we were visiting you at the other hospital.. and before she could continue my expressions were very confused as if wondering why would she even come to visit me? So monica said yeah I know! Why would she even come to visit you? Well I don t know but anyway she was giggling with her group when troy yelled at her and showed her the door! so I took a paper and wrote what? Troy did that? For me? so monica read it, and smiled and said he is a very good guy gabby I smiled at her and wrote I know monica, if only you knew what he said to me.. she said what? Tell me everything! so I looked at the ground and she said I mean.. write me everything! You know how much I love gossip! I smiled at her and wrote well he said he was in love with me her mouth dropped to the floor and I smiled and wrote I know! I am so happy monica, he makes me very happy! she hugged me and said good because you deserve to be happy I smiled at her. Then troy entered the room, he smiled at me as if asking if he could come on but monica raced me and said come in troy! he came in, and came closer to me and leaned and kissed me! Monica was moving awkwardly in her seat but I knew she was really excited, then troy sat on the floor infront of me, held my hand and said the doctor said you could leave with us today! You are going home gabby! I smiled and then monica hugged me and said finally! then she excused herself, so troy came and sat next to me and kept staring at me trying to read my expression but couldn t so he said what s on your mind? I took the paper and wrote this is it, huh? he took the paper, read it and said this is what? I wrote well you did your job, you brought me back to life, so now you ll get back to your life and.. this is it he was very confused, then he said this is my life.. you are my life.. where else would I be? I was so blessed! But I wrote so you do.. love me? he looked at me and then he came closer to me and kissed me! Then he whispered in my ears words are worthless since they can t express my love to you, so maybe that kiss will I smiled at him and wrote I love you too troy he looked at me and said that s the first time you answer me back! I smiled and wrote because that s the first time I can really hear you.. I can hear you troy! he hugged me so tight and said I can hear you too gabby.. I do.. I hear your silence . <div> 


	5. Chapter 5

We sat there on the bed, next to each other, troy holding my hand, and playing in my hair, I was almost floating! Occasionally I would get distracted and think about things I really don't want to think about but I can't help it, but then troy would bring me right back to him!

After packing my things and getting dressed it was time for me to go and leave the hospital after staying there for over a month! So troy carried my bad and then held my hand and said 'are you ready?' I wasn't sure I was, and he felt my hesitation, so he kissed me and whispered in my ear and said 'I will still be holding your hand after you cross that door' I smiled at him and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek and then we headed to the door. I left the hospital that day, and even though I still had to go to therapy atleast once a week, but I was gradually getting my life back, I was gradually living, and it was all because of troy.

When we got home, he took my bag upstairs to my room, and when he got down I was standing in the corner with a picture in my hand, he called me but I didn't answer, I didn't even hear him, so he took a few steps closer and then looked at the picture in my hand, it was a picture of my grandma, troy was so scared that I would relapse, because ever since I went to the hospital they avoided talking about my grandma, but that didn't stop me from thinking about her every single moment! So troy put his hand on my shoulder and said 'gabby... are you okay?' I looked at him with tears in my eyes and I gave him the picture, he took it and said 'do you want me to get rid of it?' I nodded in refuse and I took a paper and wrote 'I want you to get to know her..' he smiled at me and then we sat on the couch and he said 'tell me..' I took a paper and wrote 'she was my everything troy.. she was my best friend, she was so sweet and kind, she could make you feel so safe, her big heart was full of love that you would think the world would run out of love, she used to sit next to me on the couch and watch TV, and she would stare at me every once in a while and says you are so beautiful hunnie.. I hope you know how much.. she was the best person you could ever meet troy.. I really loved her from the bottom of my heart..' he was staring at me, monitoring my every expression, my every move, he wasn't sure what to do, hug me or kiss me or maybe just leave me alone, he wasn't sure, but he listened to his heart and then he kissed me on my forehead and took the paper and wrote 'I love you..' I forced a smile and wrote 'thank you.. troy.. for being there.. for caring.. thank you..' he couldn't stop himself from kissing me so he did! He kissed me and when he did I felt like everything is going to be okay, like I was going to be okay.

He then turned on the TV and sat next to me, held my hand and kissed it and then he said 'gabby, you are beautiful, so beautiful..' I smiled at him and put my head on his shoulder and we watched TV.. a romantic movie was on, we watched it together, and every once in a while he would look at me and stare for a moment or so and then he would go back to watching the movie, I was having fun, I was smiling just because of the thought that troy is with me, he was keeping me grounded, troy was my way back home.

After the movie ended, troy said 'what a movie! I had fun gabriella, what about you?' and he looked at me to find me sleeping. He smiled at me and then he carried me and took me upstairs to my room, he put me on my bed but then as he was turning around to leave I was still holding his hand, I didn't want to let it go, so he sat next to me and gave me a tender kiss and closed his eyes to dream about us.

Troy was as happy as I was, troy loved helping people, but at the beginning he was just helping me recover, but then he found out that I helped him too, I made him know who he was, and what he was all about, troy was a really good person, but at a time he lost his way, and by bringing me back home, he brought himself back too, troy was in love with me, and I was deeply in love with him!

The next day troy woke up to find himself in my room, he looked around trying to find me but couldn't, so he could really worried! And he started calling me and looking everywhere, then he found me at the kitchen making breakfast, he smiled at that sight and walked towards me and hugged me from behind and said 'good morning sweetie, did you sleep well?' I nodded and kissed him! He said 'gabby, don't you want to tell me something?' I looked at him puzzled, then he said 'I mean say something, not write it' I looked at the ground, so he raised my face up so that he could look into my eyes and he said 'I swear I don't mean to push you.. I just want to hear your beautiful voice again, I just want to hear you say I love you too..' I didn't know how to react to that, I opened my mouth trying to push words out, but I couldn't ,so I hugged him as tight as I could trying to take some strength from him, and then I kissed him as hard as I could so that maybe that kiss would make up for the unspoken words.. he smiled at me and said 'okay.. I will wait.. but gabby remember, that even if you never speak again I will still be with you because there is nowhere else I rather be.. ok? I will always hear you gabby!' I was so happy, I didn't know what more could I do to repay him!

I put the breakfast on the table, and I sat on the chair, and troy sat next to me, we ate, and we talked, well atleast troy did, after we were done my mother came into the kitchen and said 'oh good morning, how are you gabby?' I smiled and nodded and troy said 'she is just fine mrs. Montez' my mother smiled and then she said 'no breakfast for me?' I laughed and so did troy then I kissed her on the cheek and got her a plate with eggs,cheese,and bacon. She said 'that's my girl' I laughed again and she sat on the table to eat then she looked at me and said 'GOD I missed that laugh!' I hugged her from behind and troy was just watching us with a huge smile on his face knowing that everything is going to be okay.


	6. Chapter 6

That night, troy and I were sitting on my bed, talking, then I took a paper and wrote "troy.. I need to tell you something" he looked at me and said "sure!" I wrote "I am going to look for a place.. a place where I can learn sign language". He looked at me as if trying to hide his anger and then he said 'no!' I looked at him in amazement and wrote 'no? I am not taking your permission I am just telling you troy!' he said 'no gabby! No! this means that you are giving up and I won't let you do that!' I wrote 'no troy I am not giving up! I am just accepting the way I am, I need to communicate! I won't always walk with a paper in my hand! I can't troy!' he said 'but gabby, you will talk again! So sign language would be useless!' I wrote 'troy.. I will learn sign language, I need to and I have to.. I will troy' he kept staring at me for a while, in silence, then he said 'fine gabby, you made your choice' I just kept looking at him and then turned around to face the window, and when I turned around to face him again he was gone, the door was slapped, and I was all alone.

That night I didn't get any sleep, I was just thinking, I knew I was right! But maybe troy was just tired, I mean he has been through alot with me the past few weeks, maybe he was just stressed out, but what if he doesn't come back? A lot of questions were in my head but only one answer 'I love him'. I spent the night thinking, and crying, then I heard my mum calling 'breakfast is ready!' , so I headed to the bathroom, took a shower and got dressed, and then I went to the kitchen, kissed my mum on the cheek and left. She chased me saying 'where are you going?' I just smiled and nodded so she said 'take care and don't be late' I smiled again and then left. I was walking down the streets searching for something, or maybe someone, I wasn't even sure what I was looking for, I walked and I walked then I found a school with private classes for sign language, I hesitated but then I went in, I filled some papers, and then I payed for the classes, I was starting the next day. As I was walking home I spotted troy walking infront of me, I wasn't sure I was ready to talk to him, in fact I was scared he would turn me down, so I just avoided the awkward situation by not talking to him. I crossed the road to avoid him, and then I kept walking, then I saw him crossing the road too, I didn't know what to do, so I just kept walking then he put his hand on my shoulder! My heart was beating so fast, all I wanted to do was throw myself into his arms and kiss him! But I turned around slowly to face him, he said 'hi' I looked into his eyes and just remained silent.. then he said 'gabby? I am sorry!' I turned around and walked away. He yelled 'I am sorry gabby! I really am!' but I just kept walking fighting the tears, fighting the ache in my heart, fighting the urge to run into his arms, I just kept walking until I got home. I ran to my room and sat on my bed trying to process what has just happened, when I found my mum knocking on the door, she entered and said 'are you okay gabriella?' I nodded forcing a smile, so she took a few steps towards me and sat on the bed and said 'are you sure baby?' I wasn't sure, infact I was sure I wasn't okay, but I still nodded. So she kissed me on my forehead, and left me with a smile. I put my head into my hands and started crying, I missed troy, I wanted him to be here with me holding me, kissing me, just being there! Then while I was crying, I heard something hitting my window, when I looked I found rain, so I supposed it was just snow or heavy rain or something, but then the sound didn't stop, so I stood up, and looked out of the window to find troy standing in the rain! I opened the window and stared at him and he said 'I.. am...so... sorry!' I ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran towards him and hugged him tight! He kept whispering in my ear 'I love you gabby!' then I took a good look at him and smiled, then he kissed me. I felt like there was no one else in this world but us, no rain, no ground, no sky, just me and troy!

Then we got into the house and I brought him a towel, and went to change my soaked clothes, when I got back troy gave me his hand and I took it, then he pulled me close and made me sit on his lap, then he said 'gabriella, I know I hurt you, but what I meant to say was that I don't want you to change or anything, I love you just the way you are, but I just don't want you to surrender to your silence, I want you to fight it! I want you to talk to me again! That's all gabby, but no matter what you want to do, I will be with you just as long as you promise me that atleast you'll try.. ok?' my eyes were getting filled with water so I nodded then I kissed him! I loved troy so much, I felt so blessed to have him in my life, he was my backbone, he was my hope in the tomorrow, my light in the dark, I knew that whenever I close my eyes when I open them again he would still be there.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning I had breakfast with my parents then I went to the class where I was going to learn sign language, I didn't feel really comfortable, but I knew it was the right thing to do. When I got there, I signed my name then I heard someone calling 'gabby!' I could recognize the voice, it was troy! I turned around and faced him, then he said smiling 'you didn't think I would let you face that alone, did you?' I ran to his arms and kissed him! Then I stared at him and smiled, then I just hugged him! I could feel that he wasn't very happy about it, but he was ready to support me anyway, and that's what made me love him ever more, and I didn't even know that was possible!

We entered together holding hands, the teacher made me a weird sign which I guess meant welcome, so I just waved my hand, I didn't know what else to do. I took a seat and troy sat next to me, I learned a few signs, at first I felt a bit awkward, but then I felt comfortable, I smiled, I laughed, I actually had fun, those people couldn't speak and they were okay with it, they embraced it and acted upon it, and that inspired me! Then the teacher taught us a sign.. how to say I love you, I looked at troy, and then I showed him that sign.. 'I love you' he smiled at me and then gave me a tender kiss on my cheek. Everytime troy came near me I couldn't help but smile, I was always floating around him, it is like with him I could soar, like I had wings, a feeling I just can't put in words!

Two hours later the lesson was over, troy was walking me home, a couple of times I caught him staring at me, I wanted to know why, the third time I looked at him and laughed! He said 'sorry, I can't help myself, seeing you there.. I didn't know you were that beautiful!' I smiled at him and rested my head on his shoulder. While we were walking I saw monica, it has been a long time since I last saw her! So I kissed her and we hugged, it was nice, then she said 'how have you been?' I nodded with a smile, she said 'still not talking huh?' I didn't know how to respond to that, I just looked at the floor. She said 'gabriella I didn't mean it that way! I am sorry!' I forced a smile and looked at her, she was feeling guilty, I could tell, then she hugged me again and said 'I will go now, see you soon?' I smiled and then she waved at troy goodbye and left. As we continued our walk home troy said 'are you mad at her for what she said?' I looked at him then at the floor and nodded in refuse, but troy knew me too well to believe that, I was clearly hurt. Then he put a finger on my face, his touch was so tender, so soft, then he kissed me. It wasn't the first kiss, but it was magical! I have never felt this way before!

When we got to my house troy kissed me and said that he had to go and that he would see me tomorrow, I nodded and smiled at him and watched him walk away. Then I entered my house, my mother was right infront of me and said 'hey!' I laughed and waved with my hand, she said 'somebody is happy, what happened?' I smiled at her and went to my room, as expected, she followed! She kept saying 'I won't go until you tell me everything! What happened?' I kept resisting, but then I took a paper and wrote ' I am in love..' she looked at me with a kind smile on her face and said 'oh baby girl.. and him?' I smiled and wrote 'I think so..' she hugged me so tight and said 'I am so happy for you! He is a very good guy..' I wrote 'I know..' then she kissed me on the cheek and smiled and left my room.

That night when I went to sleep I had a dream, an un expected dream, but I woke up smiling and crying at the same time. I woke up at 6 am and washed my face and got dressed then I left. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going, I was just going, I kept thinking about the past few months, about all what had happened, my phone was ringing, but I wasn't going to answer it, I mean it was useless anyway, it wasn't like I would say anything. But then while I was walking, wondering in my own world, I heard someone's foot steps behind me, and then I found troy infront of me sweating and hardly taking his breath and he said 'gabriella! Oh my God I was so worried! What happened to you? I went to your house and your mum didn't know where you went! She is worried! Why are you doing this?' I couldn't answer him! I just threw myself to his arms and cried my eyes out. He kept saying 'what happened? Gabby come on! Tell me hunnie.. what happened?' at the time I was crying too hard to even breathe , then after crying for a while, I was pulling myself together, and troy was still holding me. We sat on the floor next to a huge tree, and troy was holding my hand and said 'gabby, tell me...' I took a paper out of my pocket and wrote 'my grandma..' his expressions were shocked, maybe even horrified, maybe he was scared he would lose me again to that world on mine, I wasn't sure, I was still trying to comprehend his expression.. then he said 'what about your grandma?' I wrote 'I dreamt about her.. she was like an angel.. she was highlighted by a shining light.. she was glowing troy.. but then she said 'why are you doing this?' and then I woke up' troy hugged me so tight then and said 'everything is going to be okay..' I was very confused at the time, and broken hearted maybe? I wasn't even sure how I felt.. but troy on the other hand was sure of one thing.. that she was talking about what I was doing to myself, and he told me so. He said ' I think she means the way you are burying yourself in your grief, the way you just shut yourself up, the way you are wasting your voice.. I think so gabriella' I was shocked by what he was saying! So I stood up and stared at him with tears in my eyes then I turned around and left. He stood up and chased me saying ' gabriella face it! You are ruining your own life! If we can call it a life at the first place!' when I heard him saying so something inside me broke, I stopped walking, looked at him and pushed him away! I kept pushing him away from me, and hitting him, I didn't want him anywhere near me! He tried to calm me down but it was too late, I was letting out every bad thing that has ever happened to me, everything seemed like his fault, I kept pushing him and pushing him until he said 'okay fine! I will go! I am so tired anyway! Of everything gabriella! Of you losing hope, of you giving up on me, of you giving up the fight! I am so tired if you being weak!' then he took a few steps back as if reconsidering what had been said but it was too late, he said it, and I heard it. I got out a paper and wrote 'bye, troy' and turned around and ran home.


	8. Chapter 8

I ran as fast as I could, I never looked back, maybe I didn't want to see what I was leaving behind, I wasn't sure of anything at all. When I got home I was hardly breathing, then my mum came out of the kitchen and saw me and said 'hey baby, you are home? Where were you?' then I looked at her face and she saw tears on my face and took a few steps closer and said 'what happened?' I didn't answer her, I ran upstairs to my room and locked the door, she kept calling me but I wasn't going to answer, I couldn't. she said 'honey please! I just want to make sure you are okay! Please baby!' she kept knocking and knocking but I didn't reply, but then I pushed a paper out under my door and she saw it and read 'I am fine mum.. just leave me alone.. I need to be by myself.. just please' she read it and took a deep breath and said 'okay sweetie, okay..' then I heard her footsteps down the stairs.

I sat on my bed, not understanding what was happening, did I actually leave troy? Did he really say what I heard? What was happening? Why was that happening? I couldn't understand, or I didn't want to face what was happening! I cried a lot, I kept seeing old pictures of both of us, I was wondering 'where did all that go?'. Time passed but I didn't know how long, then I heard my dad knocking on my door and saying 'baby girl, can I come in?' at that point I wanted to open the door, hug my dad, and cry my eyes out, but I didn't want to worry him, I was in too much pain.. a while later he knew that I wasn't going to open the door so he said 'okay.. as you like.. I love you baby' a few tears escaped from my eyes and I said to myself 'I love you too daddy'

About 6 hours later, I went downstairs to drink some water, my body was running out of liquid because of all the running and crying, I found my mum there, she stared at me for a while, she didn't know what to do, but then she said 'are you okay?' I looked at her and forced a smile, but that smile took too much strength from me, I was heartbroken, I couldn't even breathe from all the pain.

I drank the water and was going upstairs to my room again when I heard a knock on the door, I wasn't going to open the door anyway so I kept walking, but then my mum opened the door and it was monica! She saw me on the stairs and said 'gabby, come with me now!' I nodded in refuse, I didn't want to leave my room at all, but then she came whispering in my ears 'it is troy' when I heard his name all our memories together flashed in my head, the good and the bad, until the goodbye, then she said 'chad called me, troy was drinking too much in a bar, and then he got into a bar fight! He is really hurt gabriella... it is bad!' I was horrified by what I was hearing! I was in shock, I felt like I stopped breathing in a while, I could no longer see monica, or my mum, I was no longer in our house, all I could see and hear was troy.. how could he be hurt? Will I lose him? I can't! I just can't!

Suddenly I was woken up by a slap! Monica slapped me yelling 'wake up gabby!' I looked at her and she said 'now is not the time to be weak! Troy needs you!' I grabbed my jacket and got into monica's car. She drove us there, and we ran into the bar, only chad was there, monica said 'where is troy?' chad said 'he pushed me and walked away! I tried to stop him but he is a fighter!' I didn't know what to do, but I found myself walking out of the bar from the back door, I walked a few steps to find troy on the ground, unconscious! I fell next to him and kept moving him and shaking his head but it was of no use!

I opened my mouth trying to cry for help but no words came out! I hated myself at that point, I didn't want to embrace this, I wanted to get rid of it, I wanted to yell for help, I wanted to call chad to come and help troy, I wanted to call the ambulance, I wanted my words back! I kept putting my head on troy's chest to make sure his heart was still beating! I was terrified, this was troy, my only hope, my support system, my love, my heart and soul! I kept shaking him yelling into myself 'wake up troy! Please don't leave me!' I wanted those words to be heard.

But then troy started mumbling with words I couldn't comprehend.. but I heard him saying 'gabriella.. don't go.. I need you...gabby!' I had tears in my eyes, I wasn't sure if they were tears of fear because of how troy looks or tears of joy because of his words. I kept moving my hands on his face, and the other hand holding tight to his, just for him to know that I am with him, I am by his side! He was gradually opening his eyes, I was so happy he was okay, but I was wondering what would happen after, I mean he did say what I heard him saying, I did say goodbye, so what now?

He wasn't quite awake yet, his words were still not understood, but then I heard him saying 'gabriella, please don't leave me.. I love you.. gabby...gabriella' then he was closing his eyes again! My heart almost stopped beating! But then I found myself saying 'I love you' I surprised myself! I opened my mouth but this time words came out! I kept repeating 'I love you troy.. I am here! Open your eyes! Can you hear me?' for a while he was silent then I heard a whisper 'I can hear you..'

I was smiling, I was crying, I could breathe again! Troy got me my words back! So I called out 'chad! Chad over here! Come and help me!' then I found chad and monica coming out of the bar running, and when chad saw me he said 'gabby? Is that you?' I smiled at him and said 'yeah..' monica gasped and put her hand on her mouth then she ran to me and hugged me so tight and said 'thank GOD!'

Chad helped me make troy sit up and then we carried him to chad's car, chad went to bring him a cup of coffee and maybe some water too, I sat next to him just staring at his face, wanting to make sure he is okay.. chad got him the coffee and I washed his face with water so that he wakes up, I helped him drink the coffee too. He was finally starting to wake up, then he looked at me and said 'gabby?' I said 'yeah.. troy I am here' then I found tears in his eyes, I was so touched, he hugged me so tight and said 'I can't believe I am hearing your voice! OMG gabby! I knew you could do it' I looked at him and said 'troy.. you didn't know that.. you said I was weak, remember?' and then I opened the car's door and left. I walked into the bar again to find chad and monica sitting there. Chad said 'is troy okay?' I nodded and said 'yeah he is fine..' then monica whispered in chad's ear 'leave us alone for a while please chad' he said 'sure' and gave her a kiss and told me that he was going to check on troy. I walked towards the chair next to monica grabbed my jacket and said 'well I am heading home now..' monica was staring at me, and then she said 'gabby, are you mad at me?' I looked at her and said 'no.. I am just mad' she said 'I am so sorry I slapped you! I just didn't want you to slip away again' I said 'well, I am here monica' and then I turned away leaving when I found her running towards me and hugging me while crying! I hugged her as close as I could and she said 'I can't believe you are talking again gabby! God I missed you! So much! I love you gabby!' I smiled and said 'I love you too monica!' then she whipped away her tears and said 'and troy?' I looked at the floor and then back at her and said 'not now please, ok?' she said 'okay..' and then we walked outside, I waved goodbye to chad and monica gave him an air kiss. I saw troy staring at me, maybe waiting for me to tell him goodbye too, or talk to him, or maybe he hoped I would run to his arms, but I didn't do any of those things. I just walked away. And again... I didn't look back. 


	9. Chapter 9

A couple of days later I had to go to school because there was an important class, so while I was walking home I remembered the first time I went to school after my grandma passed away,2 months after she was gone, troy was walking with me holding my hand, trying to comfort me, I was scared about how they would react but with him by my side I felt safe, some of them were supportive, others like sharpay made fun and just enjoyed watching my weakness, but troy, oh troy! He never left me alone, he was always with me, he never let me go! And while I was getting lost in my dreams and memories I heard someone calling my name, I turned around and it was chad, I smiled at him and shook his hands, then he said 'how are you?' I said 'okay, how about you?' he said 'I am fine' I smiled and said 'good!' then I turned around to walk to school when he said 'gabriella...' I turned again to face him and said 'yeah?' he said 'troy..' when I heard his name I immediately looked at the ground and then he said ' he kept asking about you last night..' I said 'chad... no... it is over and I don't want to talk about it.. please?' he nodded and said 'ofcourse' I forced a smile and then I turned around to continue my walk to school but then I faced chad again and said 'is he.. okay?' chad smiled and said 'gabby.. he is trying to be..' I said 'okay..thanks chad' then we walked together until we got to school, then monica saw us and ran towards us, kissed chad and hugged me, then the three of us went to class.

Troy wasn't there, which made me worry about him, even though I tried so many times to get him out of my mind, I never could, but I was just trying to convince myself that I was over him, but I never did and I knew I never will either.  
>Again I was drifting to my own world when the teacher yelled at me 'gabriella! Why aren't you concentrating with me?' I was confused, and shocked! Then I tried pulling myself together and said 'sorry! I am with you now sir!' he saw tears falling from my eyes, I tried whipping away my tears but it was too late, the teacher saw my tears, and he cleared his throat and said 'gabriella, go wash your face, you look tired, and if you are too tired to return you can go home..' I nodded and said 'thank you.. sir' and I took my bag and left, I walked slowly out of class, but the moment I was out I ran to the bathroom, just as I was opening the door I found troy and sharpay right infront of it, she was kissing him, when I saw it I felt like my world has just fell apart! But then I pulled myself together and said 'sorry.. I didn't know there was somebody here..' and I turned around and walked away. But then I found troy following me and he grabbed my arm and said 'gabby, are you okay?' I said 'yeah, why wouldn't I be?' he said 'come on gabriella it's me! Sorry you had to see that..' I said 'hey troy, you are free to do whatever you want, it is none of my business..' he said 'really? We have reached that point?' at that point I stared into his eyes trying to make him see right through me like he always had, then I said 'troy.. let go of my hand' he kept staring at me so I pulled my arm and turned around to leave when he caught my arm again! At that point I knew if I had stayed one more minute I was either going to fall apart and cry or kiss him! And I didn't want either of them to happen, so I pushed him away and said 'don't do that! Go to your girl troy! I don't care, why do you?' he said 'liar!' I looked at him in amazement, he said 'you are a liar! You care, I can see those tears, I can see right through you! I feel your broken heart, and I can see that you are dizzy, I know that you still want me back just like I want you!' those words made me want to hit him so hard and break his heart like he broke mine! But instead I walked slowly in his direction then I said 'oh really? So you see through me huh?' he nodded and I continued 'well troy, can you see that I don't give a damn about you! Can you see that sharpay is in love with you and you shouldn't leave her? Can you see that I am over you? Troy.. go! Just go!' and I turned around and ran out of school! When I was far from the school I stopped walking and cried. I cried so hard! I was in great pain! Every word I said hurt me more than it hurt troy! I loved him.. then I sat on the sidewalk to take a breath, I kept remembering all the memories, all the promises, all the love.<p>

Then I found someone's shadow infront of me, when I looked up it was sharpay!  
>I whipped my tears and said 'sharpay? What are you doing here?' she said 'gabriella... we need to talk..' <p>


	10. Chapter 10

I tried pulling myself together but it was in vain, I was clearly falling apart and sharpay knew it! But still.. I tried to appear strong.. as strong as possible. I stood up and faced sharpay and said 'if you are here to gloat I don't feel like it now sharpay.' And I was turning to leave when she said 'gabriella.. he loves you..' I thought that I heard wrong, I mean this is sharpay! She wouldn't do something nice to anyone, especially not for me! So I faced her again and looked into her eyes trying to detect any signs of sarcasm or deceive but I didn't find any. For the first time, sharpay was actually being serious!

She said 'when you saw us together, I was kissing him, and he was pushing me away, he was fighting me gabriella..' I said 'sharpay, do you realize what you are saying?' she took a deep breath and said 'yes.. yes I do.. gabriella, he told me that you were all he thought about.. that his heart ached so bad when he saw you but couldn't come to hold you, that you were the only one who made his heart skip a beat, that you were the only one he loved and always will love..' I wasn't believing what I was hearing! Troy said all that about me? How? And why? I am just me! So I swallowed and then said 'sharpay.. it doesn't matter because… well because I don't love him..' when I said that I felt tears falling from my eyes, I fought so hard to stop them but I felt like I was going to explode! Like my heart can't take any more pain! So she laughed in sarcasm and said 'come on gabriella! Who are you kidding? Those tears? Are they invisible?' I whipped my tears away and said 'no sharpay, those tears aren't over troy..' she said 'well gabriella.. whatever floats your boat.. but I thought that by telling you I would have nothing to feel guilty about.. because gabriella, not everyday do we find a guy that loves us that much.. and a good guy too? That's very rare' I said 'well sharpay, if it isn't meant to be..' she said 'okay..gabriella..' and then she turned around leaving when I said 'and sharpay?' she faced me when I said 'thanks..' she nodded with a smile and left.

Then I walked home, as slow as possible, I need as much time by myself as I could get. When I got home my mum was waiting for me, she said 'gabriella where were you? The school called saying that you left 3 hours ago! Where have you been?' I said 'I walked for a while..' she said 'walked? Have you thought about me? I was worried sick!' I said 'mum I am fine!' she said 'no gabriella you are not! Stop pretending! I can see your swallon eyes! I can hear you crying at night! I can feel your broken heart! Don't lie to me anymore!' my eyes were getting filled with tears but I stopped them and it took all I had of strength! I said 'mum I am fine.. everything is fine' she said 'gabby! If everything is fine, where is troy then?' I didn't know where troy was, I didn't want to know, troy was out of my life, or so I said to myself. So instead of saying those thoughts out loud I just walked towards the stairs and mumbled 'go look for him and tell me if you find him' but my mum pulled me back from my arm and said 'I won't leave you until you talk!' I said 'mum! There is nothing to talk about!' I could see that she was furious, I could see that she was worried about me, that she feared losing me again, but I just couldn't talk about it, because if I did, I would lose myself, and I couldn't, not again! So I said 'mum.. let me go..' she said 'gabriella.. not because your grandma died so.. ' when I heard her saying grandma I looked into her eyes, with tears forming in my eyes, but this time I couldn't stop them, my mum said 'just because she is dead doesn't mean you are alone!' I said 'mum stop it! Stop talking about her! Stop pushing me! She is dead! And there is nothing to talk about! So please mum just leave me alone' I pulled my arm away and tried to walk when she caught me again and said 'gabby..' I yelled 'God mum! What do you want from me? I am going to go now!' she said 'what? Where?' I said ' I will go for another walk!' and I took my jacket and ran out of the house.

I walked and walked without even knowing where I was going. I walked thinking about troy, sharpay, my grandma, my mum, myself, everything. I was trying to know what went wrong? How did I get here? I couldn't feel the time, I didn't even know where I was now, or how far have I gone away from home.

At the meantime, my mother fell on the floor crying at home, and when my dad heard her he came running and fell next to her and just held her until she could let it all out. It was now 12 am and I still hadn't returned home, my mum was calling all of my friends and family asking about me, and my dad took his car and went looking for me. Then while my mum was waiting for any news about me, she heard a knock on the door, when she opened she heard 'okay gabby I can't take this anymore! We need to..' it was troy. He was looking on the floor and then when he faced the door it was my mum so he said 'oh mrs. Montez, sorry, is gabriella here?' my mum was standing still fighting her tears when troy noticed something was wrong so he said 'mrs. Montez.. is there something wrong?' he found her answering him with tears! So he said 'where is she mrs. Montez?' my mum said 'she ran away.. today at about 3 pm we had a fight, and she left me! She said she was going for a walk, but she was very upset troy! I don't know what to do!' he got out his phone and dialed saying 'have you tried calling her?' my mum nodded and said 'many times! But she isn't answering! Troy.. what if something happened to her? Oh God I can't face that! Oh God no!' troy put his hand on her shoulders and said 'hey mrs. Montez we don't know anything yet, gabriella is very strong, I am sure she will be fine!' my mum said crying 'I hope so! Her father went looking for her!' so troy said ' I will go look for her too, but please if you knew anything..' my mum said 'I will let you know troy.' And he left and just kept running in the streets, he didn't know where to begin, or where not to look, he only knew one thing, he was sure of what he was looking for, he was looking for his only hope, for the love of his life, for his other half, he was looking for gabriella Montez, the only girl who gave him weak knees!

He looked where we went for our first date, he looked where we had our first kiss, he looked where we had our first fight, he looked where I told him 'I love you', he looked where he told me 'I love you' for the first time, he looked everywhere! But he still didn't find me, he felt like he couldn't breathe! How could he when I am gone? When we broke up, he was heart broke, but atleast he knew that I was out there somewhere near, but now I was lost and he couldn't find me, and that made him die a little inside.

He was losing hope, he felt like his world was falling apart and he couldn't do anything to stop it! He sat on the chair where he first told me how he would always be there for me, he sat and thought, about what could have been, he was almost crying but then he remembered something very important! My grandma! Maybe I went to her graveyard! She was my best friend, I always said she was the only person I had! At that point he ran to the graveyards, he ran as if his life depended on it! It was now 4 am, my mum was calling troy every 15 minutes or so, and my dad had returned home after looking in every place he could think of.

Troy was now in the cemetery, he was looking everywhere for me, then he saw my grandmother's graveyard, and he saw a figure infront of it, he ran towards it and found me laying there with my eyes closed! He got so worried! He fell next to me and saw how pale I was, and how red my eyes were, he could see that I have been crying so hard, and that broke his heart. He put his hand on my hair and called my name 'gabriella.. sweetie can you hear me?' I didn't answer. He then put my head on his lap and gave me a kiss on the forehead and said 'gabriella wake up.. please.. I am begging you! I can't.. I can't lose you.. please gabby! Come back and if you never want to see my face again I will disappear, but you have to listen to me first.. gabriella I love you more than I ever thought was possible.. I love you so much that there is no place in my heart for anyone else! Gabriella you are my whole life, my whole world, gabriella please.. if you love me.. if you ever loved me.. open your eyes!' then a tear escaped from his eyes and fell on my face, at that point I was gradually opening my eyes, I was coughing, but I was gradually waking up! And then I said 'I love you too'.


	11. Chapter 11

Troy couldn't stop his tears anymore, he helped me sit up and then he hugged me so tight that I almost couldn't breathe and he said while crying 'oh God I am so glad you are okay! You are okay!' he kept hugging me for a while then he took a long stare on my face and said 'what happened?' I said 'nothing troy, I came here and I guess I fell asleep.. ' he said 'asleep! Come on gabby! You were unconscious! I am taking you to the hospital now!' and then he stood up and pulled me from my hand and helped me stand. I said 'no troy I am not going' and then I turned around and walked away but then he ran after me and said 'gabriella you can't stop coughing! That isn't normal!' I said 'troy to me it is..' he stopped walking and said 'what? What do you mean?' I took a deep breath and pulled myself together and said ' I am.. asthmatic troy..' he said 'what? Why didn't you tell me this before?' I said 'because it isn't something I say in a casual conversation troy!' he came, faced me and said 'okay gabby.. what do you want to do now?' I said 'go home' he said 'okay..' then he leaned to kiss me but I took a few steps back.

He was surprised and he felt awkward and then I walked towards my house, troy was following me but a few steps behind, we walked in silence, I didn't talk, he didn't talk either, then suddenly he said 'why are you doing this gabriella?' I stopped walking with tears in my eyes, then I decided I don't want to be weak, so I started walking again but before I could take a few steps troy said 'why?.. why gabriella?' I couldn't hurt him anymore, I didn't want to see him hurt, so I turned around ran towards him and kissed him! It was a long kiss, it was magical, my lips touching his, I felt like I didn't want them to part, but they did because I pulled back. I pulled back and said 'I love you more than anything in this world troy.. but I can't do this.. I can't because.. because I am heartbroken troy! You were with sharpay and I lost my grandma and I am.. all alone troy! I am all alone!' and that point I was crying hysterically! He tried holding me but I kept saying 'all alone! I am all alone!' he hugged me and said 'you aren't gabby.. I was never with sharpay.. and I never will be.. I am with you gabby!' I kept hugging him because I was feeling alone for so long! I just needed to feel safe for a while, troy made me feel safe. Then his phone rang, it was my mum, he told her that he found me and we were coming home. When he hung up he looked at me with a very tender kind sweet look and said 'shall we go?' I nodded and then I walked.

Troy walked next to me now, but he wasn't touching me, he wasn't holding me, he was giving me my space, he was waiting for me to make my move or give him any sign that I was ready. But was I ? I wasn't sure, but I loved him, and maybe that was why I wasn't ready. Because I loved him I feared his loss, so I thought I would just lock him out and never have to face his loss, but I wasn't forgetting about him, i wasn't letting go, everyday I loved him even more.  
>Occasionally as we were walking I would take a quick glance at troy and occasionally he did the same, but then we were almost home, I was going to let him go again, I didn't want to, and he was thinking is this the end? Will she always be not ready? But then 3 blocks away from my house I stopped walking, looked at troy and said 'I love you.. and that is making me afraid.. because I can't lose you troy! But I can't push you away anymore! I can't because i... love... you..' he took a few steps towards me, kissed me on the cheek and said 'you'll never lose me.. I love you' I smiled at him and then clinged to his neck and hugged him! He then carried me on his arms and walked me to the house. I was very happy, I was where I belonged, with troy. Then we knocked on the door and my mum opened, she saw me with tears in her eyes, she hugged me so tight and said 'you stupid jerk! How could you do this to me?' I said 'I am sorry mum!' then she took me inside and invited troy in for breakfast since it was 7 am. We ate, me, troy, my mum and dad. All the time I was staring at troy with a smile on my face, troy was with me, troy loved me, troy wasn't letting me go. But then his phone rang and it was closer to me so as I was handing it to him I saw the name of the caller.. it was sharpay! <p>


	12. Chapter 12 'a different path'

I kept staring at the phone then he noticed, so he said 'gabriella?' I didn't answer him. He stood and came next to me, he put his hand on my shoulder and said 'what is it?' I handed him the phone and said in a low fragile voice 'sharpay..' then I left. He took the phone and said to himself madly 'God not now!' then he called me and came after me, I went to my room and sat on my bed, he knocked and entered and said 'gabby..' I didn't even look at him. So he took a few steps closer, took a deep breath and said 'gabby it's nothing.. she is the one who called..' then I looked at him and said 'why troy?' he said 'why what gabriella? I didn't do anything!' I said 'why did she call troy?' he said 'how should i..' then his ringtone interrupted him, she will be loved by maroon 5, one of my favourite songs ever, I stood up and snatched the phone from his hand, again it was sharpay!

I picked up, she was saying 'hey baby! I missed you! Where are you? I've got a surprise for you.. a sexy.. naked.. surprise for you..' I heard those words and then I hung up. I threw the phone on the floor, stared at troy with all the strength I had left in me, and I said 'get out..' he said 'what! Why gabriella? Come on talk to me!' I stared at him with tears in my eyes and said 'troy, no more worthless words, no more lies, because words are just words unless you mean them, but you never mean them troy, take your phone, and go to your surprise..' he tried putting his hands on my shoulder and hug me but I said 'don't touch me! Sharpay said she had a naked sexy surprise for you! Go to her troy! Just.. go!'

He took the phone from the floor, and looked at me and said 'every single time anything happens you just let go.. everytime!' I turned around, faced the window and said 'this time troy.. I didn't let go.. you just chose a different path to take'. He turned around to leave but then I started coughing so hard, so he looked at me again and waited for me to see if I'll need him. But the coughing got harder and harder that I fell to the ground fighting to take my breath! He ran to me and put my head on his lap and said 'what should I do?' I signaled to him to get me my inhaler. He got it and used it a couple of times, until I started to breathe normally. Then he put me on my bed, took my hand and said 'gabriella, I love you.. and sharpay? She is nothing to me! She is just jealous of how much love there is for you in my heart, I never loved her that much, I never loved anyone that much, just you! So please gabby don't let me go, and I will never take any path that wouldn't lead me to you.. ok?' I sat up and kissed him! Then I started coughing again and looked at him and smiled, he smiled back and hugged me whispering in my ear 'all I have is you'. 


	13. Chapter 13 'shifting roles'

Then after we hugged for a while he said 'come on gabby, you need to get some rest' I smiled at him and then I put my head on my pillow, closed my eyes, and held his hand. He smiled at that sight and then whispered in my ears 'sweet dreams..' I smiled and then I slowly went to deep peaceful sleep.

A while later, troy left me and went downstairs, my mum saw him and called him to come to the kitchen, he walked towards her and then she smiled at him a warm thankful smile and said 'thank you troy' he didn't know what to say, he smiled at her and said 'no need madame.. it mattered to me just as much' my mum whipped away the tears that escaped from her eyes and said 'dinner?' he smiled and said 'yeah of course!' she made him food and orange juice and they ate and talked for a while, my mum talked and he listened, troy was a really good listener and he always cared!  
>A few hours later troy got a phone call, he picked up then his face suddenly changed! He turned pale and he looked like he was half dead. Then he ran out of the house without saying anything! My mum ran to my room and woke me up then said 'gabriella, I think troy needs you!' I quickly stood up and got dressed while talking to my mum trying to figure out what happened, but she didn't know any more than I did!<p>

I called and called but he never answered, I went to his house but he wasn't there, I went to the bar, the school, but he wasn't there either! I looked everywhere but I couldn't find him! So I called chad and said 'chad do you know where troy is?' he was silent for a while then I said 'chad?' he said 'gabriella go to monica's house and I will explain everything..' I said 'okay!' and I ran to monica's house! She opened the door, hugged me tight as if she is trying to comfort me, but because of what? Nothing happened! I didn't understand anything.

Then chad came and told me to have a seat, I knew something was wrong, but what? And where was troy? Was there something wrong with him? This can't be right? No way! I said 'chad tell me! Whatever it is I can take it!' he said 'troy...' I said 'what is wrong with him?' he said 'troy's mum is in the hospital.. it is very serious gabriella..' I gasped and then chad said 'I know that you swore never to go to any hospitals again.. so if you don't..' then I interrupted him saying 'lets go chad! Take me to him!' so monica said 'are you sure?' I said 'I won't let him face that alone! He was there with me and I will be there with him! No matter what!' they both smiled at me and then they took me to chad's car and he drove us to the hospital. I knew it would be too hard for me to face that hospital again, especially since it was the hospital where my grandma passed away, I knew it would hurt, but it didn't matter because I wasn't going to leave troy alone!

When we reached the hospital I got out of the car, stared at the door for a while, but there was no possibility that I'd leave troy alone. Monica said 'are you okay?' I said 'yeah..' then we walked into the hospital, monica was holding my hand, but as we walked in I held it tighter, we walked through the same hallways, I saw the same rooms, but I wasn't going to accept the same ending. We walked until I saw troy standing talking to the doctor, I kept staring at him, watching his every expression, trying to figure out what I can do to help, then he accidently looked our way and he saw me, he stared at me as if he was crying for help, so I ran towards him and he carried me and held me tight and said 'thank you.. thank you gabriella!' 


	14. Chapter 14 'let me'

Then I looked into his eyes and saw the tears he was trying to hide, the pain, the fake smile he was trying so hard to show, I could see all that. Then chad and monica came closer and hugged him, then I said 'okay troy.. what happened?' he sat down and I sat next to him, then he said 'my mum... she was beaten pretty badly..' I was in shock! I held his hand and said 'what? Who did that?' he first looked at me and then back on the floor, so I said 'troy?' he took a deep breath and said 'my dad..' I said 'what?' troy finally faced me and said 'he is abusive gabriella! He just is! He hit her badly this time! She is really hurt gabby! Really..really...hurt! and i...I can't do anything! I didn't.. I didn't protect her! This is all my fault!' I had tears in my eyes now but I pulled myself together and touched his face tenderly and raised it up so that I could put my eyes in his, and I said 'hey troy! Listen to me! This is NOT your fault! That is his fault troy!' he was nodding in refusal, so I looked at him and said 'you are the strongest man I have ever seen, you are caring, you are so sweet troy! You can make anybody feel safe just by being around! Troy.. your mother is going to be okay.. your mother must be so proud to have you as a son! Troy, she loves you, and she would never blame you for that! Ok?' then I gave him a long kiss as if trying to give him from my strength, as if trying to make him see through me, as if trying to keep him in my heart and protect him!

He cried on my shoulder for a while, monica and chad left us alone, then I sat next to him and he put his head on my lap and said 'gabriella.. she is going to be okay, right?' I gave him a tender kiss on his cheek and said 'I hope so troy.. but what I know for sure is that she is too strong to give up!' he sat back up, stared at me for a while, and then he leaned closer and kissed me, it was a strong kiss, I felt his body againist mine, his breath, his chest going up and down, his eyes closed and drowning in all the emotions that we share together! Then chad came and said 'gabriella come I want to tell you something' I stood and walked with him and when he made sure troy wasn't listening he said 'his mum.. she is pretty messed up!' I said 'yeah... he told me..' he said 'no gabriella! It's worse than he thinks!' I looked at him trying to comprehend what he was saying, then I said 'so, what's wrong?' he looked at troy again to make sure that he doesn't hear it, then he said 'she has internal bleeding, and her heart failed a couple of times now, but they helped her, but she needs blood or she'll bleed out gabriella! Olso, she needs surgery, and that blood donor will have to go to surgery with her, in case they needed anymore blood..' I said 'and troy doesn't know?' chad said 'no.. because he can't help her anyway since his blood doesn't match hers!' I said 'and mr. Bolton?' chad looked at me as if saying yeah right! So I said 'okay.. what's her blood type?' he said 'o neg' I said 'then I am a match!' chad looked at me in amazement and I smiled! But then I said 'but don't tell troy!' he said 'what? Why?' I said 'because I don't want him to feel guilty for putting me through this, or to worry! Just tell him that I went home to bring him clothes or something!' chad nodded and then I went to the doctor's office and talked to him, he said 'you might be saving her life by that!' I smiled and then he called the nurse to measure my temperature and blood pressure, and she did but then the doctor told me that my blood pressure was low, so I told him that it was normal especially because I was asthmatic, he was almost rejecting taking blood for me but I said 'doctor please! I have to do this! I'll sign any papers that would let people know that it was my choice and it wasn't your responsibility.. just please! You have to let me do this... please!' the doctor nodded and then called the nurse again who took the blood, I was feeling really dizzy, and I was fighting to take my breath, but I didn't care as long as it was going to help his mother, And as long as he won't feel the bitter cruel pain of loss and carry the burden of his guilt for the rest of his life..

The doctor went and explained everything to troy without telling him who was the donor, so I sat in a room to get prepared for surgery praying that troy wouldn't know. Chad was avoiding troy too, he didn't want to lie to him, but then troy saw him and said 'hey chad, have you seen gabby?' chad said 'what! No!' troy saw that he was hiding something so he said 'what chad? Where is she?' chad said 'how should I know? Maybe she went home to get some clothes or something!' troy said 'yeah.. maybe..' then as he was walking away the nurse came and told chad 'we need a signature for those papers for the donor' troy said 'donor? Who is she?' chad trying to cover up and said 'some girl! Who knows?' so troy said 'if she is some girl then why are they asking you for the signature?' chad was so nervous that he kept humming and thinking about what to say, then troy yelled at the nurse 'where is that girl?' the nurse showed him the room. He entered and saw me on bed, I looked at him in shock, then he called the nurse who came running and said 'she is who gave my mother blood?' the nurse nodded, so he said 'she is who will go with my mother to surgery?' again the nurse nodded. So troy looked at me with tears in his eyes and said to the nurse ' cancel the surgery, we don't have a donor anymore' then the nurse ran out of the room and troy kept staring at me for a while, but I was just sitting there on bed not knowing what to do, then as he was turning to the door to leave I said 'troy wait!' he didn't even look at me but he said 'go home gabriella' then he took a few steps towards the door again but then I said 'troy..' that time he turned and faced me then I said 'let me...' then I fell to the ground and passed out. 


	15. Chapter 15 'i'll be waiting for you'

Troy ran towards me and hugged me close and cried for help. One of the nurses came running and then they both carried me and put me on the bed. When chad and monica saw the state of panic taking over they knew something was wrong, so they both ran to my room to find the doctor putting an oxygen mask on my face and starting an IV. I was too weak so at first it was hard to find a vein, but then they found one. Troy was falling apart, he didn't know what to do, he felt so guilty!

After the doctor did what he could he told them all to leave me to rest, troy said 'doctor what happened?' he said 'well mr. troy, as you know she volunteered to give blood to your mother, and her blood pressure was too low, and I adviced her not to, I even tried to stop her.. but she was determined, she knew what she wanted.. she wanted to help you and your mother troy' troy hit his fist againist the wall and said 'why? Why did she do that?' monica came and hugged troy and said 'troy you know her, better than anybody, she loves you, and she wouldn't have left you to suffer the loss and stand by to see you fall apart..' then chad came and said 'the doctor said she might wake up in a few hours, but we have to find a new donor troy, she can't do it again'

Troy nodded and then went into my room and held my hand and cried. Then gradually he went to sleep, a couple of hours later chad came back in and woke troy, he said 'troy.. the doctor is still searching for a new donor.. but her blood type is very rare.. and they still can't find anyone.. and troy? The doctor said that.. he said that if we don't do the surgery soon enough.. it might be.. too late' troy looked at the ground but he was still holding my hand. Then I mumbled 'I'll do it' he couldn't hear me because of the oxygen mask but he didn't care! I was awake! So he kissed me on the forehead and said ' thank God! You are okay you stupid idiot!' I smiled at him, removed the oxygen mask and said 'i.. will.. do it' troy looked at me and stared into my eyes and said 'no!' . I pressed on a button for the nurse to come and when she did I asked for the doctor, he came and I said ' I will.. do.. it' the doctor said 'you can't ms. Montez! It is too dangerous!' I said 'I will..' he said 'you are killing yourself!' I said 'doctor.. please!' and I started coughing so they put the oxygen mask on my face again.

Then troy was telling the doctor 'we have to find another donor! If she is ready for killing herself for me I won't let her' as he was talking he found me standing, right infront of him, and I said 'i.. will give her the blood..' troy made me sit again, then he said ' gabriella that is not an option anymore!' I stared into his eyes in rage and then I said in a weak voice 'I am not asking you.. I am.. letting you knows..' troy looked at me like he was so helpless. Then I looked at the doctor and said 'I am ready..' he nodded and then told the nurses to prepare me.  
>So troy just kept looking at me with an angry, sad, helpless, weak look. But I knew that I was doing the right thing! The nurses were preparing me when monica came in and said 'are you sure?' I looked at her as if I was never going to back down. So she kissed me on the forehead and said 'and your parents?' I said 'tell my dad, atleast he can be there for troy until I am back..' she said 'but you will be back, right?' I hugged her and said 'yes..' she forced a smile and left. Then chad came and hugged me and said 'are you okay?' I smiled and said 'yeah!' he laughed and then said 'he is just scared gabriella..' I said 'I know chad.. but I know it's the right thing to do.. just take care of him until I am back, ok?' he said 'you got it!' and then we both laughed and he left.<p>

Then they moved me through the hallways until we got to the OR, we were almost there when I heard someone calling my name and saying 'wait!' they stopped, and then troy came and kissed me and hugged me so tight and said 'I am waiting for you..' I smiled at him and said 'I will be back and I'll bring your mum with me..' he forced a smile and then they pushed me into the OR.

About 3 hours later, troy's mother and I were being pushed out of the OR. We were both unconscious, troy knew why his mum was, but me? He asked the doctor who said 'we needed a lot of blood for your mum, she didn't want us to stop, or look for an alternative, but her blood pressure got lower and lower and she might have lost more blood than your mum..' troy was horrified! He went with his mum to her room, kissed her and then came to me. Monica was sitting next to me and chad was standing behind her, when troy came in chad hugged him and said 'hold on man! She did it for you and you can do it for her!' troy nodded. Then he sat next to me and asked chad to go see your mum just in case she wakes up. Troy was sitting next to me, memories hunting him, he felt like he couldn't breathe, like this was a bad nightmare, but he can't wake up, he needed me to wake him up!

Then troy went to the bathroom to wash his face, and monica was with me, then I started humming and aching a bit, so she called troy who came running and said 'gabby, open your eyes baby, come on!' I gradually opened my eyes to see troy with tears in his eyes and he said 'hey baby..' I forced a smile and said 'hi..' 


	16. Chapter 16 'the unexpected'

He just sat there staring at me for a while, then I said 'troy, how is your mum?' he said ' she isn't awake yet.. so we don't know..' I tenderly moved my hand on his face and said 'she'll be fine..' he forced a smile. Then the doctor came in and asked 'how is our little heroine?' I laughed and said 'you tell me.. how is troy's mum?' he said 'well, we will know soon, when she wakes up, but for now she is stable.' I said 'okay.. just keep me updated?' he said 'sure..' then I said ' and doctor? If she needs anything you'll tell me' troy hit his hand againist the bed and he stood up and faced the wall in rage. So the doctor said 'I'll leave you alone now, glad you are okay gabriella' I smiled and said 'yes thank you doctor' the doctor left and troy was still facing the wall.

A few minutes later I said 'troy..' he didn't answer. So I tried to sit up but I was too weak, so I said 'troy talk to me' he turned around, faced me and said 'gabriella.. why are you doing this to me? Isn't it enough that I have to watch my mum hurting without doing anything to help because I can't? I can't watch you too doing it! I can't.. gabriella I can't lose you! Because I need you.. my mum.. she is dying.. and I can't lose you too! Not now.. not ever! Please gabby..' he was falling to the ground crying his eyes out and I didn't know what to do. I stood up, and walked close to the wall then I fell next to him and kissed him. Then I said 'troy.. you aren't losing your mum.. and you will never lose me.. she is fighting and I am just helping her!' he stared into my eyes and saw that I was never letting go of her, or him. So he carried me, and then he put me on bed and held my hand. I said 'troy.. you would have done it for me, right?' he said 'in a heartbeat!' so I said 'so why shouldn't I do it for you?' he didn't know what to say because he knew I was right. So I said 'troy.. I've been through great loss, and you were with me, actually you brought me back to life, so I won't stand and watch you feel that pain when I can do anything to help! Troy, I love you..' he stared into my eyes and then be came closer, and closer, then he gave me a kiss, that kiss was so real that it seemed as if I was dreaming, it was so real yet so out of this world! Then he said 'I love you too gabriella montez'

Then he told me to rest for a while, so I said 'when did you last rest troy?' he said 'I don't know..' so I moved a bit in my bed to leave him enough space, and I told him to come and sleep next to me. He slept next to me, and I put my head on his chest and we both went to sleep. While we were sleeping chad came running into the room, woke us up and said 'troy she is awake!' troy looked at me with a huge smile of relief on his face and kissed me then he stood up to leave when he noticed I was still too weak to walk, so he was shattered, should he stay with me or go to his mother?

I looked at him and decided to resolve his confusion, I said 'troy go!' he smiled at me and left. Then monica came to sit with me until he comes back, we talked for a while, but my head was with troy, so I said 'monica go bring me a wheel chair!' she said 'what? The doctor said you shouldn't move for a couple of days atleast!' I said 'monica I have to be with him.. please..' she said 'I never win with you!' I smiled and she went to bring the wheel chair, she helped me sit on it but I wasn't much of a help so she called chad to help us too, then they pushed me to troy's mum's room.

When we first entered I said 'hi mrs. Bolton' troy looked at me confused whether to hug me or yell at me, but I looked at him with a smile on my face. Then his mum said 'hey gabriella, how are you?' I said 'I am fine mrs. Bolton but how are you feeling?' she said 'I am better.. thank you hunnie.. troy told me what you did for me.. as crazy as it was but it saved my life!' I smiled and said 'it's fine mrs. Bolton.. I am just glad you are doing better' troy looked at me with a smile full of gratitude then he gave me a tender kiss on my cheek then he stood next to me putting his hand on my shoulder.

Then as we were talking, smiling and having a good time, an unwelcomed visitor came in. all our eyes were directed to the door. Troy is rage, mrs. Bolton in fear, me in surprise and anxiety!


	17. Chapter 17 'don't do this to me again'

It was troy's father, mr. Bolton! Troy immediately pushed him againist the wall and said 'what are you doing here?' mr. Bolton said 'calm down son..' troy interrupted him and said 'don't ever say that! You almost killed my mum and the one I love! You don't get to call me that anymore!' so mr. Bolton while almost choking said 'fine fine! I am here to make sure your mum is okay..' troy was losing it! So he pushed him ever harder and his hands surrounded his father's neck and yelled 'okay? You wanted to make sure she was okay you sick bastard! You brought her here in the first place!' mrs. Bolton was watching in great fear that she had tears in her eyes, and I was scared to death for troy! So I tried standing up but I was too weak and I hated it!

Again I tried to stand up but my knees were shaking and my legs couldn't carry me, and I felt very dizzy and tired, but the sight of troy fighting with his abusive dad and what his father could do to him made me forget about all the pain! I finally managed to stand up and I put my hand on troy's shoulder and pulled him towards me and said 'troy.. come on.. leave him' but troy wasn't listening! He only saw his father and what he had done to his mother and to me. So again I said in an even weaker voice 'troy please for me.. stop it!' but he said 'gabriella go away!' so I yelled with all the strength I had in me and said ' TROOOOY!' he looked at me while still pushing holding his father and I said 'help me...' and I gradually fell to the ground.

He held me, carried me and put me on the wheel chair and yelled for chad! Chad and monica came running, monica gasped when she saw how pale and fragile I was, I was too weak to even keep my eyes opened, troy kept talking to me so that I wouldn't faint again. Then the nurses came and took me to my room where they started an IV again and put the oxygen mask and left me to rest. Mrs. Bolton told troy to go and sit with me until he made sure I was okay, which he did without hesitation because he wanted to!  
>Chad moved back and forth between my room and mrs. Bolton's because she was worried too and he needed to be there for troy and also to make sure I was okay. Monica was sitting in my room too, but she'd occasionally go with chad just not to cry infront of troy. About 2 hours later I was starting to wake up again, troy was sleeping next to me, I looked at him and smiled and thanked God he was okay, and he didn't hurt his father either. Then I saw monica coming into the room, she was whipping her tears, but when she saw me she smiled and came and held my hand, but right before she could wake troy up I stopped her and whispered 'let him rest for a while.. he has been through a lot!' she smiled at me and said 'are you okay?' I said 'yeah I am.. how is mrs. Bolton?' monica said 'worried.. but she is fine' I said 'don't worry.. I am okay..' she said 'thank God!' I smiled.. but then I said the question I had in mind 'and mr. Bolton?' she said 'he is still here!' I gasped and she said 'don't worry! Chad is with him to stop him from bothering troy or mrs. Bolton! And troy hadn't seen him anyway because he was with you since then' I said 'good.. they might fight again..' then I coughed a couple of times which woke troy up, he looked at me with tears in his eyes when he realized I woke up and then he ran to me and hugged me so tight and said 'don't ever do this to me again!' I said 'okay.. only if you promise me that you won't do this to me again!' he said 'okay.. I am sorry..' then I looked at him then kissed him.<p>

Then I said 'are you okay?' he said 'you know it has been a bit boring those couple of days so I need a bit more action!' I laughed and so did he and then I said 'you'll be okay.. I know it..' he smiled and then I held his hand and said 'troy.. you know your father is still here..' troy stood up and said 'what? Where is he?' I grabbed his hand and said 'troy.. please! You promised me..' he sat again and said 'should I just let him hurt you and my mum gabriella?' I said 'ofcourse not.. but fighting won't solve anything.. chad is with him and he isn't anywhere near your mum..ok?' troy nodded and then I said 'now go see how your mother is..' he said 'I won't leave you!' I smiled but then his mother actually came into the room on a wheel chair! I said 'what? How did they let you?' she smiled and said 'the same way they let you missie!' troy and I laughed. She came closer and held my hand and said 'are you feeling better?' I said 'yeah.. I am better! How about you?' she said 'I am as strong as a horse!' I laughed again. Then chad and monica came too, they wanted to make sure I was okay. But then troy asked chad 'what about my dad?' chad said 'he left I guess..' troy said 'you guess chad?' chad said 'what can I do? He isn't around anymore so I guess he left!' I said 'troy.. it's okay.. nothing is going to happen.. come sit next to me' he did. He sat next to me, and we spent the time laughing and telling stories and even though troy laughed and smiled along but he clearly had something in mind. 


	18. Chapter 18 'the resolution'

All the time I was looking at him trying to make him feel better, but I knew he was scared to death because of his father, and even though he tried hiding it I saw through him. Then as we were sitting, my dad came into the room, I smiled at me and he came and hugged me so tight and whispered in my ears 'I am so proud of you!' I had tears of joy in my eyes. Then he sat next to me and mrs. Bolton said 'she is very brave.. I owe her my life!' he then looked at me in great pride! But then my dad said 'I am proud of you.. your mum might kill you but still..' we all laughed except for troy!

I was holding his hand tight, just to let him know he wasn't alone, then chad came in and whispered in troy's ear something that made him run out of the room after staring at me in fear! I knew it was something about his dad so I told my dad in fear 'dad please follow him! Please dad!' he kissed me on the forehead and ran after him. Mrs. Bolton was now crying, I was looking at her feeling so helpless, I wanted to run after troy, but I knew I couldn't. I just sat there crying, praying that he'd keep his promise! Monica was sitting with us but I told her to go see what happened! I needed to know what happened!

It has been an hour now and still no word from anyone, not monica, not my dad, and not troy! Troy's mum was still crying, so I couldn't wait any longer! I stood up, and walked slowly next to the wall, barely standing on my feet, barely taking my breath, every step seemed like miles, it was getting harder by the minute to see properly, but I wanted to get to troy. Then as I was walking I found troy at a distant talking to the police, I thought he did something to his father and the police are here to take him away. So I tried to call at him but I was too weak, they just a few feet away from him, he looked my way and saw me falling to the ground. My father and troy ran towards me, troy carried me but I kept hitting him on his back and said while crying 'you promised me! You promised!' he took me to my room, put me on the bed but I was still clinging to his neck, and hitting him but he never complained, he never fed up, nothing, he just left me let it out! Then after I stopped hitting him, I was still holding him and crying, he said 'I am sorry I scared you..' I started crying even harder, so he said 'shhhh don't cry.. I kept my promise.. I just called the police to take him.. I am fine gabriella! I am with you!' I gradually started calming down, then he looked at my swollen face, my red eyes and nose, then he tenderly whipped away my tears, I was so shaken up so he said 'baby, I am here! Can you feel me?' I said 'yeah.. God I was so afraid troy!' he said 'I know.. I am sorry.. calm down now...' I nodded. Mrs. Bolton was holding his hand the whole time, then when I stopped crying he hugged her and said 'we'll all be just fine mum!' then he took her to her room because she had to rest.

Then he came back to my room and my dad was talking to me saying 'so baby girl, you weren't scared?' and I answered 'I was.. but my love for troy, and my need to help him were more powerful..' my dad smiled at me and said 'you love him that much huh?' I said 'yeah daddy, he is.. everything I have ever dreamt of, he makes me feel safe daddy..' so my dad kissed me on the forehead and said 'I like him too.. he is a very good guy!' I said 'yeah.. he is..' troy was standing at the door and he heard everything we said. So after we finished talking he came in and sat next to me and then my dad said 'so I'll stay with you tonight' I said 'what! No! what about mum?' he said 'yeah, she might kill us both!' I laughed then troy said 'I'll mr. montez' I said 'no again! You won't stay with me or with your mother, you'll go home and rest troy!' he said 'no I won't!' I said 'troy, you have been with me and your mother since yesterday, and you have to rest! Troy just listen to me please!' then my dad 'okay you are right, but we need someone to stay with you and another to stay with mrs. Bolton' suddenly a voice came from the door and said 'I'll do it!' it was my mum! 


	19. Chapter 19

We all were very surprised! How did she know? Will she yell at us and blame troy? I really didn't want that! But she took a few steps towards me and then she looked at troy and put her hand on his shoulder and smiled, so I knew she wasn't mad. Then she looked at me and sat next to me, she hugged me close and said 'you thought you could fool me?' I laughed and said 'sorry mum..' she said 'as scared as I was but I couldn't have been more proud!' I smiled at her then looked at troy who was smiling at me too. Then she said 'so how is mrs. Bolton?' troy said 'she is awake and doing better mrs. Montez.. all thanks to gabby!' I was blushing, I was very happy I could do anything to help her, and ofcourse help troy.

My mum said 'so I'll stay with you today, ok?' I said 'but what about mrs. Bolton?' my mum took a minute to think then she said 'okay, troy, monica and chad will go home to rest, and I'll stay with mrs. Bolton and your dad will stay with you, good?' I smiled and said 'great!' troy came closer to my mum and bent on his knees and said 'mrs. Montez, I am sorry for endangering gabriella, I know you might be mad at me, but I swear..' but she interrupted him and said 'I know my daughter troy.. she wouldn't have left you or your mum.. and I am not mad at you! I know that if you could stop her you would have..' troy nodded and said in an emotional voice 'thank you for understanding mrs. Montez' she hugged him and said 'everything is going to be okay' I was so happy they were bonding. My mum was like my best friend, and troy.. he was my soul mate, so this scene made me very happy!  
>So monica came and hugged me and said 'I will come tomorrow morning..' I said 'you don't have to!' she said 'gabriella just shut up!' we both laughed and then she waved goodbye and left. Then chad came and hugged me too and said 'I will take him home myself' I said 'good! Thank you chad' he smiled and said 'you are the one who should be thanked gabby.. now get some rest and I'll see you in the morning' then he hugged troy and told him he'd wait for him outside. My mum and dad excused themselves and went to see mrs. Bolton, so troy walked towards me and sat next to me on bed, so I said 'are you okay?' he nodded with a weak smile, so I kissed him on the cheek and smiled. He said 'gabriella.. I don't know what to say' I said 'you don't have to say anything troy..' he said 'you came into the hospital for me? I can't believe you did it for me! I know how hard it must have been for you to come to the same hospital where.. I know how hard it is gabriella!' I said 'yeah it is.. but not as hard as watching you suffer.. or seeing you experience the pain I felt when I lost my grandma.. I couldn't have let that happen troy..' he then leaned closer to me and kissed me with great passion! I could feel all his emotions in that kiss, words wouldn't have expressed his love and gratitude any better than that kiss.<p>

Then I moved my hand on his face and said 'now go home and rest' he said 'I really don't want to leave!' I said 'troy don't make me call my mum!' he laughed and said 'okay okay I'll go!' I smiled and said 'sweet dreams baby' he smiled then as he was walking out the door he stared at me and said 'I love you' I said 'I love you too!' then he left.  
>At that point I was very sleepy and tired, so I laid back and closed my eyes to rest. I heard my mum's footsteps coming into the room, but I was too tired to open my eyes again. Then I went to deep sleep, I had a dream, I saw my grandma, she was saying 'gabriella.. I am so proud of you.. you are my beautiful granddaughter, you'll be okay hunnie.. I love you gabby..' then I woke up. Mum was sleeping on the chair next to me, I smiled at her and then I tried to stand up to go to the bathroom, but I was so weak, whenever I tried standing I felt dizzy and almost fainted again, so I called my mum who came running to me and helped me stand, as we were walking towards the bathroom troy came, when he saw how my mum was practically carrying me he ran towards us and helped her then said 'what happened? Are you okay?' I nodded and forced a smile and said 'yeah... yeah.. I am.. fine' but I was barely taking my breath and my voice was too weak, so troy knew I was lying. <p>


	20. Chapter 20

He put me on the bed and ran to call the doctor, he came and examined me and then said 'that is normal troy, she lost a lot of blood, anyone in her condition would have spent all his time asleep or unconscious, but she isn't, she is a fighter troy! Don't worry, there is nothing serious..' then the doctor smiled at me and left. Troy was standing facing the wall, so I told my mum to go see how mrs. Bolton is doing after my dad went home to get us some clothes, and I called on troy, he didn't answer at first, then he said while facing the wall 'this is all my fault.. if I protected my mum none of that would have happened..' I said 'troy please stop saying that! It is nobody's fault! It just happened troy.. stop blaming yourself and just be glad that we are all okay troy!' he then faced me and I saw tears falling from his eyes and said 'okay? You call that okay? Gabriella you can't walk! You faint a lot and you are always tired and can't breathe! Is that okay?' I said 'yes it is! I am okay! I can't walk because I have low blood pressure which will get back to normal soon enough! It is not your fault! I am happy! I am happy I helped your mum troy! I am not even mad I can't walk because even if I never walk again I did save your mum's life so it is fine with me! Okay?' he looked at the floor not knowing what to say, or maybe unable to talk, then I said 'troy.. baby.. I am okay.. you don't need to worry about me.. everything is just fine..' he nodded then he slowly walked towards me and hugged me tight as if searching for a safe place where he can forget all that pain he was feeling, so I just held him while he cried. Then I whispered in his ears 'I love you!' he said 'I love you too gabriella! More than anything!'

A while later I said 'where is monica and chad?' troy said 'they are with my mum..' I smiled and said 'good!' he smiled. Then I said 'troy I had a dream..' he looked at me trying to read my expressions but I smiled and said 'my grandma.. she was in my dream..' he said 'then what?' I said 'she said she loved me, and that she was proud of me.. she said I was her beautiful granddaughter troy!' he said 'she is right..' I had tears in my eyes so he hugged me and said 'I am so grateful for you gabriella!' then monica came into the room and said 'hey love birds!' I smiled at her and said 'hey monica!' she said 'why are you crying?' I looked at troy and laughed and said 'oh nothing!' she smiled and said 'are you okay?' I said 'yeah yeah.. come sit!' she sat next to me and she brought me my favourite chocolate, I ate it and gave troy to eat with me too! A while later I said 'troy I want to see mrs. bolton!' he said 'and how are you going to do that?' I smiled at him and gave him the puppy dog face so he stood up and said 'oh no! it won't work on me!' monica laughed and said 'just give up troy! You can't win with her!' he smiled and then he got me a wheel chair and put me in it and pushed me to his mother's room.

My mum, dad and chad were there. So I entered and they all looked at me, my dad came and kissed me on the cheek and said 'how is my baby girl today?' I smiled and said 'I am okay daddy' then my mum said 'what are you doing out of bed gabby? After what happened this morning!' so mrs. Bolton and my dad looked at me and said 'what happened this morning?' troy was looking at the floor and I looked at my mum and said 'nothing really.. it is nothing!' so my mum said 'it wasn't nothing gabriella! She was trying to walk to the bathroom and she almost fainted, if it wasn't for troy she would have!' I said 'mum don't exaggorate! And the doctor said it was normal' mrs. Bolton had teary eyes and said 'I am so sorry gabriella, mister and mrs. Montez!' I pushed myself towards her, held her hand and said 'mrs. Bolton please don't say so! I am fine really! And even if I weren't it isn't your fault, or troy's! it is just destiny and I am fine with it' my dad was smiling at me, and then troy excused himself, so I was going to go after him when my dad said 'I'll do it!' I said 'okay.. ' and I stayed in the room trying to console mrs. Bolton.

But then I wanted to know what they were talking about, so I told monica to push my wheel chair until we found them in my room, I heard my dad saying 'troy, I know that you have been through a lot those past couple of days, I know you blame yourself for everything, but troy gabriella loves you.. she told me! And she would do anything for the people she loves, she is my daughter so I know, she is that kind of people, but troy if you didn't deserve that you wouldn't have stolen her heart, you are a great guy too and you saved her once troy, so we all owe you! You brought her back to us, only you could! Not me not her mum and not even her best friend! Only you could lead her back home, so that must mean something, right?' troy nodded. And then my dad said 'I know you feel like you lost your father, but if you'd agree you can consider me your father, I would be honoured to have such a great son! I trust you troy, with my most precious thing, my daughter!' troy looked at my dad and hugged him and said 'thank you sir.. so much!' my dad hugged him too. Then I told monica to push me back to mrs. Bolton's room. When we got there the doctor was there telling her that she could leave the next day! I was so happy for her! Then my mum said 'and gabriella?' the doctor said 'we aren't done with her yet.. she has to stay with us until everything is back to normal..' my mum nodded and looked at me and forced a smile. Then troy and my dad came back, I told troy 'troy the doctor said your mum can leave tomorrow!' he said 'what? Oh my God! That's great!' then he kissed me and ran to her and hugged her! Then he remembered and looked at me and said 'you too?' I said 'no I will stay for a couple of days or so! Apparently they would miss me too much!' I was trying to make him laugh but I failed. His face was on the floor again so I pushed the chair towards him and he bent on his knees and I took his hands and said 'your mum is okay! Come on troy!' he forced a smiled and then kissed me on the forehead and said 'I love you..' I smiled and hugged him. 


	21. Chapter 21 'on my feet'

That night troy insisted that he would stay with me, I argued a lot with him but he never listened. Monica stayed with mrs. Bolton, so troy knew that if his mother needed anything she wouldn't be alone and he wasn't that far either. We sat that night and talked about everything, we talked a lot, and we laughed the whole time, the thing about troy was that he always made me smile, just by being there. At about 3 am I was getting very sleepy, so I went to sleep, troy was watching me until he made sure I was okay then he went to see his mum before he went to sleep.

He gave her a kiss because she was already asleep, and he thanked monica for staying with her then he got back to me. He sat on the chair next to me, and he closed his eyes and went to sleep. The next morning I had a bit of trouble breathing, so I woke up early, and troy was still asleep, but I noticed something was wrong, he was sweating, and he was moving in the chair and mumbling words I couldn't understand. But I knew he was having a nightmare! So I sat properly and called on him to wake up but he wouldn't listen, he was yelling 'NO! don't do it! Enough!' so I decided I was going to wake him up myself, I stood up, and walked slowly, I was still weak but a bit better, so I managed to go to his chair and I stood next to him, and I moved my hand along his face and whispered in his ears 'wake up troy.. come on it' s me.. wake up baby..' suddenly he yelled 'NOOO!' and he pushed me to the ground and woke up. He looked around and he saw me on the floor, he ran to me and fell next to me and said 'oh my God! What happened?' I was conscious but I couldn't talk, so I couldn't answer, so he helped me stand and he made me sit on the bed, then he brought me a glass of water and helped me drink, I had tears in my eyes, I was scared, what happened to troy? I wasn't mad at him, I was afraid for him. Then he said 'gabriella, did I do that?' I looked at him not knowing what to say, I knew if I told him the truth he would blame himself, but I couldn't lie either, so I just looked into his eyes without saying a word.

He stood up, looked at me and said 'oh my God what have I done? I can't believe I hurt you! I am so sorry gabriella.. I promise if you don't want me anywhere near you I'll disappear!' so I stood up and walked towards him, he came closer to make it easier for me, I hugged him and said 'I will never ask you to do so troy.. calm down.. you were having a nightmare.. and I tried to wake you up but you were so shaken up so you yelled no then you pushed me to the ground..' he said 'oh my.. I am so sorry gabriella! I never meant to hurt you!' I said 'troy I am fine... how about you?' he said 'I am fine..' I said 'troy talk to me.. what were you dreaming about?' he looked at the floor, pulled himself together and said 'I dreamt about my dad.. that he took you away from me.. and I kept running to get to you, but the closer I get, the further he takes you.. you were like a mirage gabriella.. and I can't.. I can't lose you!' I hugged him and said 'can you feel my body against yours?' he said 'yes..' I said 'I am real.. and I am with you..' then I took his hand and put it on my heart and said 'can you feel my heart beating?' he nodded, and I said 'its beating for you.. troy no matter what happens, or no matter where we go next, together or apart.. you'll be with me.. just like I'll be with you..' he hugged me so tight and I just held him.

Then I looked at him and smiled and said 'you have a mother to take home mister!' he forced a smile and then he turned to the door and I said 'what? You won't take me with you?' he said 'but you are sick.. I mean you can't!' so I stood up and walked step by step then I smiled and said 'I can..' he kissed me on the cheek and then he put his arm on my shoulder and pulled me close to help me walk, we walked to mrs. Bolton's room, we entered monica said 'oh my God!' I smiled at her and she ran to me and hugged me! Then mrs. Bolton said 'I can't believe it! I am so glad you are feeling better sweetheart!' I smiled and said 'I am glad you are okay too!' troy was looking at me in pride, and love, and compassion, I loved his looks, with his blue dreamy eyes!  
>As we were sitting, my mum and dad came into the room and saw me sitting on the bed, they said 'we went to your room and you weren't there.. we were worried!' I said 'I am fine!' then my dad said 'wait, how did you get here? Where is your wheel chair?' I looked at troy and he winked at me. So I stood up and walked towards them, my mum put her face into her hand and cried, my dad had tears of joy in his eyes then I hugged him and he whispered in my ears 'my baby girl! Thank God!' I smiled at him then I hugged my mum and said 'hey mum don't cry! I am okay mum!' she just kept hugging me. <p>


	22. Chapter 22 'back to you'

They prepared troy's mum for going home, they packed her clothes, and the medicines she would need, and she was ready to go. Troy said 'what should I do? I can't leave you alone.. but I have to drive my mum home atleast..' I said 'troy, sweetie, go with your mum, she needs you!' he said 'but I can't..' so I interrupted him by putting my finger on his mouth and said 'you can and you will.. I have my mum, dad, and monica with me' he said 'and chad!' I said 'no chad will come with you to help you..' he said 'gabby..' I said 'troy come on! I won't let you leave her! Go!' he kissed me and said 'I'll miss you..' I smiled and said 'me too, just call me whenever you can!' he said 'okay..' then he said goodbye to everyone and left with chad. They took me back to my room where we watched TV and talked the whole time.

2 hours after troy left he called me, he said 'hey gabby how are you?' I said 'I am okay, how are you? And your mum?' he said 'we are both fine hunnie.. I miss you!' I laughed and said 'I miss you too..' he said 'then I am coming!' I said 'what? Ofcourse not!' he said 'why gabriella?' I said 'troy.. your mum has only you now.. don't worry about me I am fine.. just call me and I will keep you updated, I promise! Just don't leave her alone..' he took a deep breath and said 'God I love you!' I said 'I love you too' then I gave him a kiss and we hung up.  
>Then that night, troy got a text, he opened it and it was a picture of me smiling surrounded by my mum and dad, he smiled at that sight and said 'God I love you!' then he sent me a picture of himself sending an air kiss. When I saw it I smiled and showed it to them and they laughed and hugged me! I was feeling happy, and blessed. That night I slept like a baby, with my mum and dad because it was monica's turn to go home and rest.<p>

The next morning the doctor came and examined me and said that I could leave the hospital in a couple of days, I was so excited, so I called troy and told him! He said 'finally! I missed you gabby!' I said 'I missed you more baby!'. Two days later the doctor said I still needed more time in the hospital, I was disappointed and I knew that it would make troy want to come and stay with me, but I couldn't have let him. He said 'gabriella I will stay with you tonight!' I said 'and your mum?' he said 'she is better now!' I said 'troy if you come I will tell the security to kick you out! I can't let you leave her alone troy! Come on!' he said 'kick me out? Okay gabriella! Whatever!' then he hung up. I whispered to myself 'he will understand.. it is the right thing..'

A week after troy went home with his mother, someone knocked on his door, he opened to find me right infront of him! He stared at me for a while trying to make sure that was reality not a dream! Then he ran towards me, lifted me up and hugged me! He said 'thank God! I miss you gabby!' I hugged him for a while then when he finally put me on the ground I looked into his eyes and kissed him for every minute I missed him and wanted him to be with me, for every time he told me he was coming over and I stopped him even though I really needed him, for every time I wanted his to hold me, I kissed him as hard as I could!  
>Then he took me inside, and I went to see mrs. Bolton who hugged me and said 'thank God you are okay! I was so worried about you.. I mean we were!' and she winked at troy, then I laughed and said 'yeah that's why he didn't call me for 4 days now..' he looked at me and said 'you said you'd kick me out!' I laughed and said 'yeah because you wanted to leave your mum alone!' then mrs. Bolton said 'I wanted him to go be with you sweetie..' I smiled and said 'well mrs. Bolton I wanted him to stay with you.. I couldn't have let you stay by yourself..' she smiled at me and hugged me again. Then she excused herself, I sat on the bed and troy sat next to me and said 'so are you okay?' I said 'yeah I am fine.. just the normal asthma and a few vitamins and I am good as new!' he said 'okay good..' then he just sat there, not talking, not hugging, nothing. So I knew he was mad, or maybe he was still feeling guilty. So I said 'okay troy.. glad to know your mum is okay.. see you later, bye' and I stood up to leave expecting that he would stop me, but he didn't. so I just left. I got out of his house, closed the door behind me, and walked away. Then as I was walking I found someone pulling me close and kissing me, it was troy! I said 'what are you doing here?' he said ' I am sorry! I missed you so much!' and he hugged me. I whispered in his ears 'I swear I said so because I knew your mum needed you more than I did troy! She has nobody else, and after what your father had done.. I knew she would be scared and lonely! Did you really expect me to say yes leave her and come stay with me?' he smiled at me and said 'no I didn't..' I smiled at him and said 'I really wanted you with me but I couldn't..' he said 'I know!' then he carried me and said 'I have got a surprise for you'. I smiled waiting to see what was it! I was so excited, happy, and safe! <p>


	23. Chapter 23 'back to the stage'

I walked behind him, then when we got to a certain point he covered my eyes and asked me not to peek, as curious as I was I didn't peek. Then when he finally made me open my eyes we were backstage in a caf where they had karaoke and things like that. I looked at troy and said 'what? Are you singing here?' he said 'not me..' I said 'then who?' he smiled at me and said 'you..' I said 'ofcourse not! I won't!' then I turned around to leave but he caught my arm and said 'gabriella, we all believe in you..' I said 'you all?' he pointed at a table where I found my mum, dad, monica, chad and mrs. Bolton! I said 'troy.. I can't... not anymore..' he said 'why not?' I said 'because she is not here troy!' at that point I was crying, he pulled me close and hugged me and said 'but you are.. and so are we gabriella.. don't waste that beautiful talent! She wouldn't want that.. and I am sure that she is somewhere smiling at you chasing your dream.. and I'll be right here with you..' I said ' I am... I am scared' he said 'I know you are.. but don't be! Just imagine yourself writing to me, singing to me, it is only me and you gabby..' I nodded then he kissed me and said 'okay.. you are up!' I went on stage and saw all those people, I could hardly breathe, I felt like I was going to faint! It wasn't the first time I sing in public, but each time my grandma was with me, cheering for me, and since she died I just stopped writing, and I stopped singing, and seeing that audience and troy backstage made me realize that she isn't here anymore.. so I was moving towards the backstage when troy smiled at me and said 'sing for me gabriella..' so I stood infront of the microphone, took a deep breath, closed my eyes and said 'okay.. I am gabriella Montez and I'll sing a song I wrote called "HOW TO FLY" 'when I fell.. you used to help me stand When I felt lonely.. I smiled because you were all I had..  
>I watched you hurt.. I saw your pain I did what I could.. but I ended up standing in the rain By myself.. without you next to me I locked myself into a shell.. and you were all I could see You were gone.. and my day had no sun You were too far for me to reach You were somewhere I didn't know how to get to So I found myself all alone.. And my endless night had no dawn But a voice brought me back It gave me back my heart.. I found my other part He helped me through.. and he reminded me of the time I used my wings and flew Even though I will always miss you I'll miss your touch, I'll miss our love so true But I'll live.. live till tomorrow I'll forget all the sorrow.. and I will fly I will see you someday.. and then I'll be okay And I'll reach the sky.. I'll learn how to fly.. I'll learn how to fly..' After I finished my song, I was almost crying, and when I finally opened my eyes the whole crowd was standing and clapping for me, my parents had teary eyes and monica was screaming for me! I ran to troy and he held me while I cried and I whispered in his ears 'thank you..' he said 'you were so great!' then when I was finally calming down he kissed me and said 'I always believed in you!' I smiled at him and said 'thank you..' then my mum came running and hugged me crying and said 'I can't believe how beautiful that song was! I am so proud to call you my daughter gabriella!' I said 'thank you mum.. I love you!' then my dad kissed both my hands and then stared into my eyes and said 'gabriella.. I believe you are so talented hunnie.. don't you forget that! You were like a star up there!' I said 'thanks daddy..' and I hugged him! Then monica came jumping and laughing but then she said 'God gabriella that was so moving and real.. I can't believe it!' I said 'thanks monica..' then chad hugged me and said 'that shouldn't be missed gabby! You are pure talent girl!' I smiled and said 'thanks chad!' then troy hugged me again and then said 'now lets eat!' and we went to sit on our table and eat.<p>The people sitting around us congratulated me, and said that the song was very beautiful and that I should keep going. I loved all the support, but I missed someone is specific. After dinner I went out because I needed some air, I was looking up at the sky watching the stars and holding my grandma's picture in my hand. Then troy came and hugged me from behind and said 'hey are you okay?' I said 'yeah..' he said 'then why are you crying?' I forced a smile and said 'because I miss her..' he hugged me and said 'I know.. I know gabby..' then he pointed at a star in the sky, it was the brightest one, and then he said 'look gabby, maybe that's her, watching over you, winking at you, feeling proud of you, just like she told you in the dream!' I nodded and said 'yeah.. you are right..' he then whipped my tears and said 'then don't whip away that smile of yours, ok?' I smiled and said 'yeah.. ok..' then we went back in. <p>


	24. Chapter 24 'the only one'

That night troy didn't want to leave me, it has been a week since we last seen each other, but we had to go home, he walked me home, kissed me and left. I went into my room, thought a lot about my grandma and troy too, about what happened today, and how much I really enjoyed being on stage again, and singing my own words, then I went to sleep.

The week after that troy and I spent between school and going anywhere to spend time together. Then it was our prom, I didn't want to go anyway, and troy didn't ask me so I supposed he was going with anybody else. Then one day when I was sitting in the cafeteria troy texted me to go straight to his house after school, I thought something was wrong so I ran to his house after school and I found him in the backyard. I said 'troy what is wrong? Are you okay?' he said 'yes.. I am okay.. I just need to tell you something..' I said 'okay..' he seemed confused and nervous, which made me worry! Then he made me sit on the chair and then he brought me a bouquet of lilies, my favourites, I smiled at him and said 'thanks troy.. they are beautiful!' then I found a sign attached to troy's room's window, I said 'what is that?' then I read the words written on it, it said 'gabby.. I love you.. would you come with me to the prom?' I smiled at him and then said 'ofcourse I would!' he hugged me laughing.

The prom was 2 days away, I was freaking out! I had no dress, no shoes, nothing! I called monica and told her what happened so she said she would come with me shopping, and ofcourse I didn't like anything at all! So we were back to begin from scratch again! The 2 days passed so fast and I didn't see troy much, he said he would pick me up but when he came I wasn't ready, so I told him to go ahead and I would follow him!

I wore everything I had but nothing seemed right! Until I found an old dress, my mum bought it for me before, I never wore it though, so I put it on and fixed my hair and wore new shoes and it wasn't so bad, so I went to show it to my mum and dad and said 'so what do you think?' my mum was speechless for a while so I said 'it is that bad huh?' she said 'God no! it is so beautiful gabby! You look angelic!' I smiled and said 'thank you mum' and I hugged her then I looked at my dad and said 'so..' he just hugged me and said 'I can't believe this is my baby girl! You grew up so perfect gabriella!' I said 'I love you daddy..' then I went and brought my bag and kissed them both and left. I took a cap to the school and the whole way I was dreaming about how troy would react, and freaking out that I wasn't looking good enough! When I finally got there, I walked slowly into the ball room, and somehow it seemed like a romantic movie, when the girl walks into the room and all eyes are on her because she is almost glowing like a star, I felt like that, but suddenly among that crowd I spotted troy, I looked at him with a smile, and he walked towards me in a way that seemed to me like it was in slow motion, he came closer to me and then said 'WOW.. I don't know what to say.. you look...' I said 'yeah I know I found this old dress in my closet, I wasn't sure about...' then he interrupted me and said 'beautiful!' I smiled and said 'thank you..' he then gave me a tender kiss on the cheek. Then he took my hand and we danced for a while, he laughed at me because I wasn't a very good dancer, then I laughed at him because he couldn't slow dance, we had the best night ever! Then it was time for prom king and queen, I was standing putting my head on troy's shoulder, I didn't care much about those sort of things, and I didn't think I had a chance either, troy sure, but not me!

Then they said 'and the winner of the prom king is... troy Bolton!' I smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss then he ran to the stage, he took the crown and said 'thank you guys! I love you all.. but I need to say something to a special girl out there.. she is the girl who makes my heart beat faster.. she is the only girl who I will do anything for.. whose smile gives me hope.. and when I see that sparkle in her eyes everything is fine.. gabriella Montez, I love you!' I gave him and air kiss and put my hand on my heart as a sign of my love. Then he stood on the stage until they say the name of the prom queen, who was as expected, sharpay evans!  
>I didn't care at all, she took the crown and said 'I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me I love you all, and those who didn't vote for me, it's your loss! And I'd like to thank that hot guy whom I'd like to call my boyfriend mr. prom king troy Bolton!' troy looked shocked and so did I, but I just continued listening, she said 'yeah yeah I know he said all those words about princess Montez, but it was because of pity! I mean the girl has been through a lot, and she is a bit coco too, so we all feel sorry for her! But at the end I am the queen and he is MY king!' tears were escaping from my eyes now but I knew I must be strong, so I went to the stage, grabbed the microphone, and said 'ok, yes I have been through a lot this year, but I DON'T need your pity! Because I am 10 times better than you, and I don't know maybe you are right about troy mrs. Prom queen, but if he loved you that much he wouldn't have said those words who must have broken your little heart if you had one at the first place! So sharpay enjoy your crown, but your king, if he was yours, he would have been with you! But he can if he want to, but it's pretty obvious who is coco here sharpay! Congrats!' then I left the ball room and ran out crying, I heard troy calling my name but I didn't stop! I was crying so hard and I was coughing badly too! He grabbed my arm and said 'gabriella you know this isn't true!' I pulled my arm and kept walking until I fell to the ground fighting to take my breath and opened my bag to find the inhaler! Troy fell next to me and said 'let me help you!' I took my inhaler and used it a couple of times, then I stood up again and walked away, but troy yelled 'gabby don't go! Please gabriella!' I turned around and said 'is it true? Do you want her?' he ran towards him and said 'NO! no gabriella! I want you.. I love you.. those words were for you.. please gabby..' I said 'you didn't stand up for me, you didn't defend me, you didn't say that you love me, you just stood there!' he pulled me from my arms and took me inside again, then he said 'stay there!' then he went on stage again, took the microphone and stopped the music and said 'sorry guys I forgot to say something!' sharpay ran and stood next to him on the stage, then he said 'what sharpay said... it is far from the truth! That girl she was talking about has been through so much, yes, but she is standing on her feet, she spent about 10 days dying every single minute to save my mother, she saved my life when I was supposed to save hers! She showed me who I can be.. and that sharpay never would have done for me! Gabriella is the only girl I have truly loved.. she is the only girl who owns my heart.. and I feel sorry for everyone who doesn't get to know such a beautiful person!' then he left the stage and walked towards me and then he kissed me. <p>


	25. Chapter 25 'the angel turns gangster'

After that kiss I wanted to go home, but troy said 'one last dance..' I nodded and then us against the world by westlife played and we danced along. My head on his chest, his hands around my waist, his breath in my hair, it was perfect, we were like it was only us on the dance floor, like we were dancing among the clouds, troy took me to the sky!

After that dance he walked me home, we didn't talk much, I was a bit tired, especially after the asthma hit me, then as we were walking I said 'thank you troy..' he said 'for what?' I said 'for standing up for me.. it really meant a lot to me..' he said 'I didn't say anything that wasn't true gabby.. you deserve so much more! Words don't do you justice..' I smiled and then I put my head on his shoulder, and he held my hand and we walked until we got to my house, I gave him a tender kiss on his cheek and waved goodbye and entered the house, to find my mum waiting for me saying 'tell me everything!' I laughed and ran to my room, she jumped over me and said 'spill it!' I coughed a bit while laughing so she said 'what is wrong?' I said 'nothing, it was almost perfect!' my mum said 'almost?' I said 'yeah... sharpay!' my mum said 'not again!' I said 'yeah, but troy knew exactly how to stop her mum! He actually defended me infront of the whole school and he said that I was the only girl he loves! I can't believe he did so for me mum!' she said 'I am happy for you sweetie!' then she kissed me and said 'now get some sleep!' and she turned off the lights. I actually slept in my dress, I was that tired, so when I woke up the next day I took a shower, got dressed for school, and when I went downstairs I found troy sitting with my parents having breakfast.  
>I gave him a kiss then said 'why are you here so early?' he said 'yeah I missed you too hunnie!' I laughed and poked him then I said 'you know what I mean!' he said 'well I came to take you to school..' I said 'okay then..' I kissed my parents and we left. On our way troy said 'so are you feeling better?' I said 'yes troy.. I am much better!' he said 'okay good, by the way my mum told me to invite you and your family for dinner tomorrow in our house' I said 'sure! We will be there.. but is your mum healthy enough to cook for that number?' he smiled and said 'she is fine gabby!' I smiled and said 'okay.. I am glad' then we were silent for a while, but I had to ask him a question, so I said 'troy.. what about your father?' he looked at me trying not to lose his temper then he said 'we aren't talking about him!' I said 'troy, I need to know how things are going with him! He is still your father you know..' he stopped walking and then he said 'no.. he isn't! not anymore!' I said 'okay troy calm down.. just tell me, what happens to him now?' he said 'he is going to court tomorrow, and we will see what the judge will say! But I hope I never see him again!' I held his hand tight and said 'I will come with you..' he said 'where?' I said 'court?' he said 'no way! Not you, not my mum! I am not letting you anywhere near him!' I said 'and I won't let you go alone!' he said 'gabriella!' I said 'troy!' then he said 'God you drive me crazy!' I smiled and said 'well I am coco!' he looked at me worried, but I said 'I am joking!' he laughed and kissed me on the forehead.<p>

When we got to school, sharpay was with her usual gang, and monica was standing next to chad near our lockers, monica seemed upset though, so I said 'what's wrong monica?' she said 'you know tomorrow is our graduation?' I said 'yeah..' she said 'taylor who was going to say the speech is sick, she lost her voice, and there is a big chance that she won't get any better until tomorrow!' I said 'oh I am sorry.. I know you worked hard on preparing that graduation!' she said 'yeah I did..' I said 'well don't lose hope yet! She still may get better' she said 'yeah I hope so..' then I smiled at her and we went to class.  
>Sharpay threw a paper on me which had a drawing of a girl crying and a boy and girl kissing in the background, and she tagged the drawing, the girl crying gabriella, the boy troy, and the girl he is kissing sharpay! So I looked at her in rage but I didn't respond, I felt like she didn't deserve it! Then after class she hit me while walking by and said 'oops sorry! My mistake coco!' and she laughed and walked away, so I chased her and then I pulled her hair and punched her! Then I was taken to the principle's office, troy came and sat next to me and said 'WOW! A punch?' I giggled a bit and said 'yeah.. it was a bit coco!' he laughed and said 'well you are in trouble!' I said 'I don't care! It felt good!' he laughed and kissed me. Then my mum came and looked at me in anger and I said 'mum let me explain!' she said ' at home.. now walk!' I waved goodbye at troy and walked infront of my mum. When we got home I showed her the paper and told her everything she did at the prom, so my mum understood why I did what I did, but she didn't want to show me that it was okay, so she played the role of a mean parent.<p>

Then my dad came and sat next to me on my bed and said 'a punch gabby?' I said 'I am sorry dad.. but I don't think that she didn't deserve it! She has been on my nerve for a long time now, and I stopped myself too many times, but this time I couldn't! so I am sorry I disappointed you, but now sorry I punched her.' He put his hand on my shoulder and then he said 'I am not mad at you' and he kissed me on the cheek and left.  
>The next day I walked into the school to see sharpay's bruised eye, then I found troy standing with chad, so I kissed troy and then chad was laughing at me so I said 'did you see princess sharpay today?' troy laughed and said 'yeah! She looks like she has just gone out of prison!' chad just kept laughing. Then monica came along and laughed with me and said 'sharpay looks so mad!' I said 'oops! Well you can't blame me! I am coco guys!' monica poked me and we all walked to class. <p>


	26. Chapter 26 'the betrayel'

That day was our graduation day, I was excited but a bit scared of the future and going our separate ways, so I was sitting next to troy and chad, and monica was backstage making sure everything was fine, sharpay was sitting 2 rows behind us putting a lot of make up trying to cover the bruise, then monica came running and pulled me from my hands and whispered come with me I need you! so I went with her, and she said gabriella.. I need to ask you a HUGE favour! I said okay.. sure! she said remember taylor? The girl who lost her voice and can t say the speech? I nodded so she said well I need you to say the speech I said oh no! I can t monica! I have got nothing prepared and I can t! I am sorry! she gave me the puppy dog face and said please gabby! I really need it! so I put my head in my hand thinking, and troy saw me, so he came and said what s wrong? monica explained, and he looked at me and said gabriella.. I know you can do it! I said no.. troy I can t! he said you are the best writer I know, and I always feel your words in my heart, and so will they! Come on gabby! I said okay.. I ll do it monica said YES! and hugged me then troy gave me a kiss on the cheek and left to sit next to chad again. When monica made sure I was going on stage she went to take her seat next to chad who held her hand.

I said hello everyone.. I am gabriella Montez.. I am here as a substitute for taylor who is ill so she can t say that speech today.. so.. I have been in this school for 4 years.. and this school is a place I ll never forget.. you see.. in this school I met my best friend who is a sweet supportive girl, she is practically everything you would wish for, and also here I met a person who changed my whole life, who gave me hope to cling to life, who helped me through the darkest time of my life also here I learned that dreams have to be chased to come true, and you should always dream big, and know that no matter how dark your night is, the dawn will come again.. in this place you will feel like you can be anybody you want to be, but you should be yourself anyway! Because that s the only one you were meant to be.. so I ll leave this school.. but I ll carry with me all the memories, laughs, smiles and maybe even tears! I ll never forget any face I saw here, because everyone of you influenced me in a way.. thank you all.. I hope all your dreams come true! then I left the stage.

And I walked back to my seat where troy hugged me tight and said I knew your words would touch my soul.. you are so beautiful gabby! I said thanks troy.. I love you! so the teacher said okay, thank you gabriella Montez for those beautiful words, you will be missed. I smiled at her and whispered thank you.. suddenly I found sharpay whispering you think that was beautiful, wait till you see what I have in mind! I didn t answer her, but I found her walking towards the stage, staggering, then she grabbed the microphone from the teacher and said okay okay people! I think we are giving her a bit more than she deserves! I mean that girl went to rehab, she also went to therapy, who knows what else happened when she disappeared! I mean we all know who is the real queen of the school, we all know who will be missed, and that would be me ofcourse! And there is a little surprise I have for you guys.. then she brought some pictures she had with her and showed them and said you see.. the guy who was with her in her darkest times or whatever, he was with me too! See the date of the pictures, all those pictures were taken while they were supposedly together ! I mean come on guys! Who would leave me.. for this? I looked at him with tears in my eyes, then I stood up and ran away, but as I was walking I heard sharpay falling on the stage, I ran towards her anyway because I knew a few things about medicine, so I made them give her some space to breathe, and then I got her some water, and perfume to make her regain consciousness, then after she was waking up bit by bit I said she is drunk.. take her to the nurse s office and she ll be fine then I walked away again.

Troy followed me and said gabriella.. please talk to me! I kept walking, I no longer wanted to be weak infront of someone I didn t trust anymore, but he didn t stop following me, so as I was crossing the road I almost got hit by a car! So he ran to me and said gabby are you okay? I pushed him away and said I am fine! Just go away troy! And don t ever call me gabby again.. you don t get to do that anymore! so I ran to my house, to find monica there, I ran to her arms and hugged her and cried my eyes out. A while later we went up to my room, she sat and I put my head on her lap and she said did you talk to him? I said there is nothing to talk about.. you saw those pictures! Oh my God monica I feel so stupid.. I gave him everything! I would have given him my life monica! How could he do this to me? she said hush don t cry.. everything is going to be alright.. but I think you should atleast give him time to explain! I said no monica! I won t hear anything from him again! Troy and I are over! I ll go to my college far far away from him, and he can have a happy life with sharpay! she said okay.. we will talk later.. I said monica! Today is the day when his father goes to court! she said oh my God really? I said yeah.. I promised him I would be there.. but now I won t! monica looked at me in compassion and I said I can t then she kissed me on the cheek and said get some sleep.. and I ll tell chad to go with troy.. I nodded and then she smiled at me and turned off the lights and left. I cried for an hour or so, until I was too tired and my eyes burned, so I went to sleep. 


	27. Chapter 27 'the revenge'

A couple of hours later mum woke me up because dinner was ready, I went downstairs and sat on the table but I couldn t eat, so my mum said why aren t you eating hunnie? I said sorry mum, I am not hungry, I think I will go to my room now she nodded and I forced a smile and left.

Monica was still at my house but it was getting late, so she said she would call chad to come and walk her home, she did, and minutes later I heard a knock on the door, so I went downstairs with her to open the door, it was chad. He said hi gabriella.. how are you? I said I am fine chad.. then I saw troy in chad s car, then monica said is that troy? chad said yeah.. I stayed with him for a while after the whole court thing.. I really wanted to know how it went but I didn t ask, and chad knew that I wasn t going to ask, so he said his father went out with a bail.. so troy is pretty shaken up.. I said oh my God, I hope mrs. Bolton is okay.. chad smiled and said yeah she is trying to hold on.. so monica kissed me and offered to come the next day but I said I was fine and that I d call her if I needed anything.  
>After monica left I went to my room and tried to sleep but it wasn t working, so I decided to go for a walk, even though it was really late but I had to get out of the house. I walked thinking about everything troy said, and lied to me about, and everything I thought would happen between us, and as I was walking I saw the bar where I found troy once, where I first regained my words, he did that to me, so how was all that a lie? I still couldn t understand. Then as I was walking I found mr. Bolton leaving the bar, I got really afraid but I tried to walk and forget about it, but he was walking behind me, actually staggering not even walking, then when he saw me he said oh isn t that my boy s girl friend? Hey gabby! I said hi mr. bolton and I kept walking, but he grabbed me from my hair and pulled me back and said my son said he wasn t my son anymore, for you? You bitch! I said mr. Bolton please let me go! I didn t do anything! he said true! It wasn t one bitch! They were two! You and my whore! I said mr. Bolton! Let me go! he said not before I have some fun! I missed having fun! My own son came to me in prison to make sure I stay there! But that didn t work out! I am free and I will take my revenge from every bastard who wanted me locked up! then he slapped me twice!<p>

I tried to run but he was still grabbing my hair and I yelled, screamed and cried but he wasn t himself anymore! He pushed me to the ground, kicked me many times until I was almost unconscious, then he sat over me, grabbed my head, and hit it against the street many times until I passed out! But he still didn t stop, he punched me, he broke my nose, and then he started kicking me again! Then he carried me on his shoulder and said now I will throw you to the other bitch to know what will happen to her next! and he walked until we got to troy s house then he threw me infront of his door, my head hit the door. So troy heard the sound and thought that someone knocked on the door, so he went to open the door, and when he did he saw me laying there unconscious and bleeding from everywhere, all covered up in bruises and cuts! So he gradually fell next to me and said gabriella.. gabby wake up! and he kept moving me, yelling at me to wake up but I didn t. so he called on his mum to call the ambulance, and she did, they came in a couple of minutes and carried me and put me in the ambulance, and troy rode with me, while his mum went to my house to get my parents.

When we got to the hospital they rushed me to the ER and troy had to wait in the waiting room, mrs. bolton, my mum and dad came running and found troy in the waiting room, my mum said crying what happened troy? troy said I don t know mrs. Montez .. I found her infront of our house unconscious.. and.. beaten.. my mum gasped and my dad hugged her and then they both sat next to troy. For an hour they heard nothing about me, then the doctor came out and said gabriella is seriously beaten, she is really hurt, she has 3 broken ribs, internal bleeding, and a concussion.. we will take her now to surgery because she also has a broken arm, and we will try to stop the bleeding, we will keep you updated and then he left. Troy faced the wall trying to hide his tears, my mum cried so hard and my dad was just holding her hand in shock, mrs. Bolton sat on the chair trying to comprehend what happened. Then the nurses were pushing me out of the ER heading to the OR, my mum ran towards me, held my hand and said be strong baby girl please! Don t give up! then I entered the OR and they all waited outside.

I stayed there for about 5 hours or more, then the doctor came out and said well, we fixed her broken arm, and we stopped the bleeding, which is good, but the concussion.. well mr. and mrs. Montez I am so sorry to tell you this but she got into a choma.. and we don t know when she will wake up.. I am very sorry and then he left. My mum started crying hysterically and she kept saying my baby girl! and my dad was holding her with tears in his eyes, mrs. Bolton hugged troy trying to help him keep standing on his feet, trying to give him strength, and she said you have seen how strong she is troy.. I have a feeling that she is going to be okay.. so he hugged her tighter and cried saying why mum? Hasn t she been through enough? she said I am so sorry sweetheart.. and she just held him while he cried.

My phone was ringing, it was monica, after about 5 times or so, troy took the phone and answered, he heard monica saying what is up gabby? Why aren t you answering me? troy pulled himself together, barely, and said in a cracked voice it s troy monica.. she said oh great troy! You guys are back together! he then started crying, so she said what s wrong troy? Is gabriella okay? he said no she is in the hospital.. monica said wha.. what? Why? he said she has been beaten monica.. it is pretty bad.. she is in a choma! monica gasped and said oh my God! I am coming now! and she hung up, called chad crying and said chad gabriella is in a choma and she is in the hospital! he said I am coming to take you now! and he picked her up and they both came to the hospital, monica ran to my mum and hugged her tight and they both cried, and chad hugged troy and said hold on man.. and then he hugged mrs. Bolton and tried to console my dad and mum. 


	28. Chapter 28 'the resurrection'

My dad went to ask the doctor if they could see me, the doctor said she is in the ICU, so you have to wear scrubs, and don t talk too much my dad said okay.. then he went and told them all, and they all got dressed and entered, first my mum came and stared at me for a while with tears in her eyes, my face wasn t the same, I was pale, and bruised, and I had a bandage over my head, it was a harsh scene on her, one that broke her heart.

Then my dad took my hand and kissed it, and said I miss you baby girl.. then monica looked at me for a while then she couldn t take that scene so she ran out of the room, and chad followed her. Troy took a few steps towards me, and he bent on his knees next to my bed, and he moved his finger against my face trying to remember how it felt, and he whispered in my ear I am here gabriella.. I am.. SO sorry! Please open your eyes gabby.. don t leave me now.. I am right next to you.. can you feel me? Can you hear me? Open your eyes and smile at me.. please don t give up! Then mrs. Bolton came and pulled him up and then she hugged him and said come on baby.. hang on.. then she kissed me on the cheek, and told them all that they should leave me to rest, my mum really didn t want to leave, but the nurse said she had to give me some medicines through my IV and she had to change the bandages, so they had to leave anyway.  
>The nurse closed the curtains, and a few moments later they heard a sound of a horn coming from my room, and nurses and doctors running to my room, so they ran after them to find that I crashed and the doctor had to revive my heart, my mum was looking through my window saying please God don t take her away! Oh God please! Fight baby girl fight! monica was crying while chad was hugging her, and troy troy was standing staring at my almost dead body, watching me struggle to cling to life, with tears falling from his eyes without even feeling it. It has been 15 minutes and the doctors are still trying but almost giving up, my mum was falling to the ground and my dad falling with her, mrs. Bolton was just clinging to troy s arm trying to give him strength. Troy couldn t take it anymore, so he ran into the room, pushed the doctors and whispered in my ears wake up! Open your fuckin eyes gabby! Come on! I can t do this without you! Please gabriella please! then the doctors pulled him back and tried for 2 more times but it didn t work. As they were giving up, they tried one last time and it worked! There was a faint pulse but it was there! When troy made sure my heart was beating, he ran out of the hospital without talking to anyone.<p>

A while later chad followed him, he found him standing infront of the hospital s exit, chad put his hand on troy s shoulder and said are you okay man? troy didn t even answer, but chad saw tears falling on his face, so he faced him, and just kept staring at him, then he said she fought it troy.. she is going to be okay.. troy still didn t answer, so chad just hugged him, so tight, a while later troy started weeping and saying look at her! She is so hurt! God she is letting go! I love her! chad said she is not letting go yet! She fought it troy! Her heart is still beating! She is a survivor troy! Come on man! You are not going to be alone! troy cried for a while, then he pulled himself together and they both entered the hospital again. When mrs. Bolton saw troy she ran towards him and just hugged him because she knew he needed it. Then they both sat next to my parents, and chad kissed monica and sat next to her.

The next month my parents spent with me at the hospital, no change what so ever, occasionally switching turns with troy, monica and mrs. Bolton just to go home and get some rest. They were emotionally drained, all of them, the doctors once made a suggestion that they remove the machines and let me die peacefully, but ofcourse the idea was rejected but it killed them inside. One month and 3 days after what happened, monica was with me in my room, and my mum went home to change and return, monica was holding my hand and talking to me, when she felt my fingers moving in her hand, she stood up and said gabriella! Gabriella wake up! Come on open your eyes! and I was gradually opening my eyes and moan, so she pressed the button to call the nurse who came running and called the doctor! The doctor examined me and then said welcome back gabriella.. monica called my mum and dad who came running, then she called chad who called troy.  
>An hour after I woke up, they were all surrounding me except for troy, my mum cried a lot when she saw me but she was happy, my dad kept sitting next to me the whole time, chad gave me a long hug, and even mrs. Bolton was very emotional. I was happy that they were with me, but I really missed troy, but I thought after all that had happened he probably didn t care enough. They talked to me and told me what had happened while I was sick, then as we were talking troy came into the room, he kept staring at me without saying a word, I looked at him when he first entered but then I faced the wall, but they all excused themselves to leave us alone, so troy slowly approached me and said are you okay? I said yeah thank you.. he said okay.. good.. I still wasn t facing him, but suddenly I found him running towards me and hugging me tight! I missed his touch so much! But I didn t forget what had happened, so after the hug I said don t worry about me.. I am okay.. then he said I was so worried gabby! I looked at him in anger so he realized he said gabby so he corrected himself and said I mean gabriella.. then I turned around again. He just sat there without talking, then monica came in and sat next to me on the bed, she was looking at troy awkwardly, then troy said okay I will wait outside and he left. I then hugged monica because I needed it so bad! Then she said gabriella.. the police are waiting for you to ask you a few questions.. I said no monica.. I don t know what to tell them.. monica said who did it gabriella? I looked at her not knowing whether I should say the truth or not.. but then I realized I couldn t carry that burden alone so I said mr. Bolton.. she gasped and said oh my God! He did that? I nodded with tears in my eyes and said he wasn t himself monica.. he was so drunk.. he was brutal! she held my hand and said oh my God when troy finds out.. I said he shouldn t! that is why I don t know what to do.. monica said but he have to! His father must be punished! I said monica I know troy.. knew troy.. he would blame himself, and I don t want him to live with that guilt! she smiled at me and said you still love him don t you? I said yeah I guess.. I mean I am broken hearted.. but I can t hate him! she kissed me on the cheek and said okay, I will deal with the police I thanked her and when she got to the door she found troy standing, she said troy, since when where you here? he said since the beginning! so she looked at me in fear and troy just ran away. I told her to tell chad to follow him quickly before he does something stupid! And chad ran after him, then my dad came and saw how scared I was so he went with them too, and monica just sat with me and hugged me while I cried. <p>


	29. Chapter 29 'goodbye'

For 2 hours nobody called us, I was freaking out, I even tried getting up and leaving to go look for them but ofcourse my mum and monica stopped me. Now it has been 4 hours and still no word. I haven't stopped crying since they left, it was maybe sadness from what happened to me earlier, and maybe fear from what mr. Bolton could do to troy, but what I was sure of is that I was afraid troy would hurt his father and end up ruining his life because of him.

And while I was drowning in my tears and bad thoughts, I found troy entering the room, I was trying to sit up when he ran towards me and hugged me tight while I cried. He kept saying 'I am SO sorry! I am sorry gabriella!' after I could breathe again I said 'it is not your fault..' they all left the room, and a while later troy faced me, held my hand and said 'I can't believe he did that to you.. I am.. I don't even know what to say..' I said 'hush troy.. I am not blaming you.. and I forgive him..' troy looked at me shocked when I said 'yes.. I do.. because he wasn't himself troy! If you had seen him you would know what I mean.. he was.. lost.. and broken hearted from everything that has happened! So he drank until he lost himself in the process! So when.. when he did what he did he wasn't troy's father.. he wasn't mr. Bolton! He was.. a drunk person who has NO idea what he was doing!' troy has tears in his eyes and was not facing me anymore, so I raised his face and said 'don't do this to yourself.. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!' he hugged me again and said 'I love you gabriella..' I didn't answer, even though I loved him to death, but I was broken hearted, and I couldn't say those words, atleast not then.

Then I said 'so.. what happened troy?' he said 'when I ran out of here, I was going crazy, and the picture of you hurt and bruised was haunting me, I went to look for.. my dad, I found him at the bar, so I ran towards him and hit him until your dad came and stopped me.' I gasped and said 'oh my God troy! And are you okay?' he said 'gabriella.. are you?' I said 'yeah.. yeah I am..' he said 'then I am too..' I didn't know how to respond to that, I just said 'okay.. then what happened?' troy said 'well the police came and took him away again..' I said 'okay.. troy I am tired I want to sleep..' he said 'yeah okay sure, but I'll stay with you tonight' I said 'no thank you troy, I'd prefer my mum' he said 'but gabriella..' I said 'no troy.. just go..' he stood up, stared at me for a while then said 'okay gabriella.. goodbye' I nodded. Then I watched him leaving, and I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but instead a tears escaped from my eyes, all I wanted was for him to stay with me, but what happened on our graduation day was still flashing in my mind, it was still breaking my heart.

I cried myself to sleep that night, and for 3 weeks after that month I never saw troy, he didn't come to see me, he didn't call, nothing. I didn't ask about him, but he was all I thought about! Every night I dreamt of him, all day long I stared at the door waiting for him to come in rushing towards me and hold me close, but he never did.

One month after I woke up from the choma, the doctor said I could go home, I was so happy because I missed my room, I missed going out with monica, and having fun, I was really tired of the hospital! The day I was going home, monica came and helped me get ready, I still had the bandage on my head, and not all the bruises healed, so I wasn't back as new but I was better, when I went home I found chad, mrs. Bolton and my dad screaming 'surprise!' with balloons, flowers and especially lilies! I hugged them all, and we ate cake and talked for a while, then I went to rest for a while in my room, I listened to some music, and sang along, suddenly 'us against the world' by westlife played. I started crying remembering the prom, and how troy defended me, and how he looked at me and admired my beauty, where was that? Where was he? I missed him!


	30. Chapter 30 'the unheard words'

It was the day of mr. bolton's trial, I was really hesitated about whether I should go or not, but this time it involved me, I was the victim, and troy… maybe he would be there? I really hoped so! I just needed to see him, nothing more.

I called monica and told her I was going to court, she said 'are you sure?' I said 'yeah monica..' she said 'okay.. I will go with you..' I said 'thank you monica.. so much!' she said 'we are sisters gabby!' I said 'I love you!' she said 'I love you too..' then we hung up. I got dressed and got ready, then I kissed both my parents and left with monica. The whole way I didn't talk much, and when she did I would just force a smile, she knew how hurt I was, and how hard it would be to face mr. Bolton, and troy too…

When we finally got to court, I took a deep breath, then I went down from the car and walked slowly towards the court room, chad was waiting for us, he kissed monica and hugged me then the three of us entered the court room. We sat in the first seat we found, chad went to tell troy he was there, but then I found troy looking my way, I couldn't breathe, I almost drowned in his beautiful blue eyes, I missed him, I missed his touch, I missed his kiss, I missed the sense of safety he gave me!

I turned around a while later and faced the judge, but then I saw mr. Bolton behind the bars, I immediately looked away, I was still not ready to face him, because all I could remember was how cruel he was, how he never stopped hitting me even after I stopped fighting!

Suddenly I heard someone calling my name 'gabriella montez' I looked up and it was the judge calling me to the stand to testify! I looked at monica while panicing! I didn't want to do that! I didn't want to face mr. Bolton, or be the reason to put troy's father behind the bars, but I had to, it was the law. So I stood up and walked slowly towards the stand, barely breathing, I passed by troy and didn't even look his way, then I sat next to the judge. The lawyer came towards me and said 'how are you ms. Montez?' I said 'I am.. okay..' he said 'so what happened to your head?' I looked down trying to regain strength, but he repeated 'ms. Montez, please answer the question, what happened to your head?' I said 'I.. um.. my head was… hit against the street..' the lawyer said 'wow.. and your arm?' I took a deep breath and looked at the judge and said 'do I have to do this?' the judge said 'I am sorry ms. Montez, but yes you have to' I said ' I was beaten..' the lawyer said 'by who?' I was silent for a while, then he said 'ms. Montez!' I said 'by.. I was beaten by.. by mr. bolton' at that point I started crying. But the lawyer didn't stop, he said 'how?' I said 'I told you..' he said 'you told me about your head, but I need to know EXACTLY what happened..' I said barely managing to speak '2 months ago or more, I was taking a walk.. and i.. I passed by a bar..' the lawyer interrupted me and said 'a bar? Why?' I said 'it was on the way, I didn't go there on purpose!' he said 'okay.. then what?' I said 'as I was walking.. I found… I found mr. Bolton walking behind me.. I could see that… that he was drunk.. then.. then.. oh please don't make me do this! Please!' and I was crying hysterically! So the judge called for recess and monica ran towards me and hugged me while I was shaking!

I kept crying and crying, I just couldn't stop, then troy came and looked at me with such a tender look, then he told monica that he'd stay with me, he sat infront of me and said 'are you okay?' I nodded in refusal. He came closer to me and hugged me, I hugged him back but then I pulled back. He said 'gabriella.. just say the truth.. it's okay!' I said 'troy.. I can't.. I just can't' he said 'gabriella what if he goes out and does this again? To me? Or to monica?' I stared at him, whipped my tears and said 'okay troy.. I need to be alone please..' he said 'are you sure?' I nodded and he left. I cried for a little while but then the judge returned and the jury and the lawyer and we had to proceed.

The lawyer said 'okay ms. Montez, now tell me, after you found him walking behind you, what happened?' I said 'he.. he grabbed me from my hair, and pulled me back.. he.. he said bad words, and yelled at me a lot… then I tried to.. I tried to run but.. he was still holding my hair.. he slapped.. he slapped me twice.. then..' I took a deep breath and said 'then.. he pushed me to the ground.. and he kept kicking me and kicking me.. I screamed.. I even.. I begged him to let me go.. but he.. he wasn't listening to me! Then he sat over me.. and.. hit my head against the street.. and after that I don't know.. I don't know..' the lawyer said in a voice full of compassion 'ms. Montez, one last question.. what was he saying while he was hitting you?' I looked at troy, that would crush him! But he said 'it's okay..' I looked at monica who gave me a weak smile as if trying to give me strength, so I looked back at the floor and said 'he was blaming me for everything that has happened with him.. for putting him in jail.. for.. for the fact that.. the fact that troy hoped he would stay there.. for everything.. he blamed me for everything!' the lawyer said 'that is enough your honour, I am done with the witness' so I stood up, tried to walk but I was so dizzy and I was shaken up so I almost fell, but the lawyer caught me and told an officer to take me outside to rest.

Monica and chad came with me, monica sat next to me and kept talking to me but I wasn't answering, I was just shaking, she kept saying 'gabriella don't do this to me! Come on! Talk to me!' I still didn't answer. Chad ran back inside to call troy who came running, he bent on his knees infront of me, moved his hand along my face and said 'gabriella.. come on! Talk to me gabby! I am right here! I hear you gabby.. talk to me..' I looked at his eyes, and he stared at me and smiled, then I said 'you don't hear me.. not anymore..' then I told monica I wanted to go home, she helped me walk until we got to the car. Then she kissed chad and drove me home, I wasn't talking, but out of nowhere I started weeping! She said 'gabby.. come on girl! Stay strong!' I just kept crying so she pulled over and hugged me until I let it all out.


	31. Chapter 31 'the way back'

After I started calming down, she called my mum and told her that I'd stay with her in her house that night, at the beginning my mum argued but then she went with it. Monica drove me to her house, then she told me to take a nap, which I did because I could hardly stand.

Then when I woke up, monica brought me food, but I wasn't hungry at all, so she ate and I was just thinking, drifting in my own world. She told me I should talk about it, but I couldn't, not anymore, my eyes were dried out of tears, I just didn't feel like talking. So we watched a movie, then we went back to sleep.

A month later it was time for college, that month I didn't see troy, and even when I did it was a coincidence and I didn't talk to him and neither did he. Time didn't make it any easier, I always missed him, I always needed him, and I always loved him!

Then one day I went to the café where we could sing karaoke, monica and chad were with me, I went on stage and said 'hey everyone.. I am gabriella Montez and I will sing a song I wrote called 'when I miss you' I hope you enjoy it

'when you called my name..

When it's stormy.. when there's rain

And I felt safe.. you were my hiding place

You held me close.. and I felt the beats of your heart

You said I was your rose.. and then you left me to fall apart

Even though I am hurt.. even though my heart is breaking

I can't forget.. because my love I wasn't faking

You let me go.. and now I'll never know

How it feels to be.. happy

And when I miss you.. I remember

Your hug, your touch.. it was so tender

When I miss you.. I look at the moon

And I hope.. you are looking at it too

I am trying to live my life

But without you it seems like an endless climb

Nothing is the same.. and no one I could blame

So when I miss you.. I will listen to the sound of silence

Because when I miss you.. I will smell the lilies and think of you

Because you pulled me through.. so when I miss you

In my heart.. I'll call on you..'

I finished the song with tears in my eyes, I even think my voice cracked in the middle of the song, but then the audience clapped and I went backstage, monica and chad hugged me and they said they loved the song, I forced a smile and then we went to sit on the table. We ate and talked for a while then we left.

When we left I looked back at the café because I forgot my phone, but then I found a sign attached to the roof that says 'I love you.. do you remember our prom?' I looked at monica in surprise to make sure that it was real, it wasn't an illusion, it was troy! So I ran inside to the café again to find troy on stage saying 'I am troy Bolton, I will sing you a song called 'that's how much I love you' it is for a special girl, who I really hurt, but I can't live without, hope she finds it in her heart to forgive me..

Then he sang 'we danced together and I held you close..

You were the one who my heart chose

Then I hurt you.. and I saw you blue

If only I knew.. I love you that much

I never let you go because you live inside me

Everytime I close my eyes you were all I could see

I'd give my life for you.. I love you that much

How to live life without you.. I don't have a clue

And I love you that much

We are far in distance but close by heart

We were always together.. we are never apart

I know I broke your heart.. but I am so sorry

But I don't want to see the end of our story

And I love you that much.. I miss the way you put your finger on my mouth and said hush

And I love you.. please forgive me

come back and hold me

don't leave me alone.. I can't face this world

and I love you… that much'

after he finished the song he left the stage, and walked towards me, he said 'I missed you gabriella..' I had teary eyes, so he said 'please don't cry!' I put my finger on his mouth and said 'hush.. I missed you too you stupid jerk!' then I kissed him. He lifted me off my feet and whispered in my ear 'I will never let you go!'.

Troy and I ended up going to the same college, we kept dating for 4 years in college, then on our graduation day, troy proposed, and I said yes. I always knew that I would meet my prince charming, but I never knew he would be so perfect. Yes troy and I differ, and we fight, A LOT, but we always find our way back to each other, because we know that's where we belong, gabriella Montez and troy Bolton, mr. and mrs. Bolton, the second generation!


End file.
